Information obtained by BayBuzz via the Official Information Act indicates meth use in Hawke’s Bay skyrocketed over the 2024 calendar year, with Central Hawke’s Bay suffering the greatest increase.
Moreover, the Hawke’s Bay meth usage is significantly above the NZ average from similar testing around the country.
What this data shows is estimated per capita use of the measured drugs – methamphetamine, MDMA and cocaine are sampled. Here we have summarised meth use, by far the most prevalent drug used. Except for Napier, MDMA use in HB is lower than National average, while cocaine use is significantly lower than National across HB (with Napier use the highest in the region).
| Meth use per capita | Jan 2024 mg/day/1000 people) | December 2024 mg/day/1000 people) |
| CHB | 2982 | 6507 (Nov) |
| Wairoa | 2410 (Aug) | 5513 |
| Napier | 1241 | 2354 |
| Hastings | 527 | 1536 |
| National | 635 | 1326 |
The data is based on wastewater sampling that is regularly conducted monthly at the treatment plants servicing CHB, Hastings, Napier and Wairoa (sampling for CHB is bi-monthly and for Wairoa was more limited due to flood damage to treatment system). The sampling is analysed by the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR). The data can be used as an overall measure of drug use by the ‘catchment population’ serviced by each plant; it cannot indicate who is consuming drugs or the number of individual users.
The social cost of drug use in NZ is estimated by the Drug Harm Index published by the Ministry of Health. For meth use, the estimated personal and social harm is $864.9 million per year.
Detective Inspector David De Lange commented to BayBuzz: “Hawke’s Bay Police have seen an increase in methamphetamine use in our community, as reflected in the latest quarterly wastewater results, and this is concerning. This is not just a local Hawke’s Bay issue, the use of methamphetamine has increased substantially, in particular small communities.
“An increase in drug usage and consumption can be influenced by various factors, including the growing availability of the illicit drug and regional locations which generally encounter higher rates of socio-economic deprivation and face a lack of access to social services and other localised support.
“This is a complex social challenge of trying to combat drug importation and supply, alongside the more difficult part of educating and deterring people from using drugs in the first place. That is why we work closely with our local and national partners.
“We are also involved in local programmes to help refer those in need – those addicted, and their families and friends – to support services who can assist.”
Here is the full report provide to BayBuzz by NZ’s National Drug Intelligence Bureau.
Hmm, some outgoing councillors are all about ‘the gangs are the greatest and part of society’ and ‘let’s help the homeless (who majority we pay $ to every week) and some beg for more to fuel their habit. I’d say these people and those who support them are part of the problem. There are still a few Councillors standing that bow to the bad. Bet if they were on the receiving end of their violence and hate, they may have a change of heart.
There’s lots written about drugs in society, lots of screams about gangs supplying it, lots of horror about the effects on individuals, families, and criminal behaviour – but for all the talk not a lot seems to be actually done to curb the trade (except for police raids etc which get trumpeted in the media – no blame to the police – they have to operate with hands tied thanks to our wonderful political leaders). “Tough on crime” speeches mean bugger all apart from photo calls for MP’s. Isn’t it time for the system to actually get tough and start hitting the supply chain really hard – pass laws allowing police, customs etc to have the power to get around “privacy” and smash these people where it hurts – meantime our society waits while feral people make a lot of money and cause an avalanche of harm
I totally agree with Grant Nicholson’s comments, I would like to see the user’s heavily punished as well. Some may not realize the users are still breeding while using, and as with all drug use, the unborn child has to carry their dum choices for life. Great for the dealer though, he has a steady growing brain damaged future customer base, being raised and health treated by the public services, paid for with our taxes. *Note the dealer does NOT pay tax on his drug sales income, Harley fair is it?
A user pays system, should be just that, “you use you pay” not the behaving people of society being asked to continually show monetary empathy.
A point to consider, if all drug abuse and that includes alcohol, was stopped today, the users and children of them will fill our health/ mental health/ and justice systems for most of their lives, possibly up to 75 years.
So for now it’s “non user pays”
not “user pays”
When you look how people view our current use of different types of drugs, methamphetamine on top of the list, followed by other lab drugs, and views of police involvement trying to chase the production & importation, then you have who’s and why’s is used, but I failed to see solutions that can be operated in a day to day basis or realistically speaking solutions rather than pointing fingers to social, political or cultural background.
In my experience SPORTS has been proven to be a safe, humble and positive mental discipline including a physical generator of great health attributes.
Hawkes bay offers a huge number of entities who offer different discipline of sports
Invite people to join, invite people to come for a walk, a small jog around the park or block. Invite people to watch a sporting event..!
These are ways to get people motivated with hopes to increase their interest in participating
Use your sporting initiatives..!
Let’s consider others with a positive attitude
Drugs are a disease that could be cure with humble support…!
Let’s not wait for Superman, Batman or Thor to fix the current problem
As a community, Sporting disciplines will help
The people who using these drugs are just people like anyone, unlucky for them the issue is in their court but they need your assistance
God bless you
Prohibition doesn’t work, it consistently makes all of the associated problems with addiction worse (as well as casual recreational consumption), and adds plenty of new problems associated with rich and empowered underground crime rings. If negative consequences cured addiction, there wouldn’t be any addiction, but we foolishly think if we just pile one more negative consequence on, that should do it! Punishing sick people further instead of treating them. From the supply angle, the failed war on drugs has found that no matter how hard you hit the supply chain it resurfaces almost immediately with a spike in violence alongside. The demand is still there as is the tonne of money to be made catering to that demand.
Time for our so-called leaders to properly investigate the success that has been achieved elsewhere with different approaches.