Conservative estimates state that at least half of all New Zealanders have tried cannabis.
Current trends indicate that an increasing number of New Zealanders admit to having tried cannabis. Studies found about 40 percent of 15 to 45 year-olds in 1990 admitted using cannabis at some stage. This increased to 50 percent in 1998 and 52 percent in 2001.
The New Zealand Health Select Committee conducted a report into cannabis use in New Zealand, published in 2003, and concluded that the prohibition of cannabis had not prevented or reduced its use.
Most surveys show an increase both in use of marijuana and frequency of use among both men and women and across all age groups.
New Zealanders appear to prefer using cannabis at home, with surveys indicating that private residences were the most common places to use the drug. It was also shown that marijuana smoking tended to be in social circumstances, often smoked between three or four people rather than alone.
Cannabis in New Zealand is often sold in relatively small amounts. An ounce of marijuana tends to cost around $300. A 'tinny', a foil-wrapped amount containing enough cannabis for about three cigarettes or joints, costs around $20. Other amounts are often sold for $50 or $100.
The Alcohol and Public Health Research Unit's Drug Use in New Zealand National Surveys Comparison 1998 and 2001 was published in 2002 and contains the most recent analysis of cannabis use in New Zealand. Some findings included: