Drug Foundation - Parliament

Get active in drug policy

Ross — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +1300

Hot topics: alcohol | drug law review

The Government and its agencies, Parliament and other organisations often seek comment and input into drug policy issues. This might be in the form of consultations or inviting submissions to select committees, or seeking expert comment on draft policies.

Misuse of Drugs (Classification of BZP) Amendment Bill (Submission)

Catherine — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 00:00:00 +1300

This submission sets out what we believe can reasonably be concluded from current evidence about BZP and its harms, then analyses the potential impacts of the Bill. In developing this submission, we have consulted with a number of people and organisations within the alcohol and drug sector. We have also reviewed research findings on BZP. Our comments are influenced by the Drug Foundation’s guiding principles, including evidence based best practice and policy, and harm minimisation.

Reducing drug demand a good investment

Ross — Thu, 10 May 2007 13:58:16 +1200

Release date:

10 May 2007

Media release summary:

The Drug Foundation welcomed the Government’s increased investment in reducing demand for drugs, released today in a pre-budget announcement.

Media release:

The Drug Foundation welcomed the Government’s increased investment in reducing demand for drugs, released today in a pre-budget announcement.

Associate Minister of Health Jim Anderton announced the spending of $5.9 million over three years on two activities to reduce drug demand. The first is a targeted information campaign to inform people about drugs and where they can get help, the second activity supports better policy making on drug issues.

“We don’t begrudge the government’s investment over the past few years on tackling the supply of drugs, but it’s a no brainer that if we don’t increase our efforts to reduce the demand for drugs, especially among young people, then we’re wasting our time on controlling supply,” says Ross Bell, executive director of the New Zealand Drug Foundation.

“The laws of supply and demand apply as much to illicit drugs as they do to TVs and bananas. Efforts to reduce supply may reduce the quantity of drugs and push up prices, but as long as there is a demand for drugs people will find a way to meet that demand. And because it’s an illegal market, this results in criminal activity,” says Mr Bell.

The Drug Foundation, however, cautions against a saturation media campaign on drugs, saying there is little research and evidence to support the types of anti-drug campaigns seen overseas.

“While high profile media campaigns showing extreme consequences of drug use may win advertising awards and increase politicians’ popularity, such campaigns do not deter, and may even encourage, teen drug use,” warns Ross Bell.

Mr Bell welcomes Jim Anderton’s commitment to a targeted campaign based on credible messages and the most up-to-date and best evidence.

“The campaign needs to provide honest and factual information to people that need it, including young people, schools and community agencies. We also need to support parents to deal with drug issues, including providing advice on the best ways to communicate with their children about drugs. And people need to know where to get help,” says Mr Bell.

The Drug Foundation also welcomes Mr Anderton’s focus on cannabis, which, despite its legal status is the mostly widely used illicit drug in New Zealand.

“The attention given to methamphetamine and party pills has been at the expense of a serious discussion on new and better ways to address the harms from cannabis,” says Ross Bell.

Click here for the Government's announcement

Reclassification of bzp (Submission)

Ross — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 00:00:00 +1300

In 2004 Mr Anderton asked the Expert Advisory Committee on Drugs (EACD) to review recent New Zealand research on benzylpiperazine (BZP), the main ingredient in most party pills. The official EACD report was released by Mr Anderton on 20 December 2006. It recommended BZP be classified as C1 under the Misuse of Drugs Act alongside drugs such as cannabis. It is illegal to possess or sell Class C drugs.

National drug policy

Catherine — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 10:47:16 +1300

The National Drug Policy (NDP) aims to improve the health and wellbeing of New Zealanders by encouraging the development of strategies and programmes which prevent and reduce drug-related harm.

The NDP is in line with World Health Organization and United Nations recommendations of a balanced approach to drug policy.

Progress under the NDP is reviewed twice yearly by the Ministerial Committee on Drug Policy (MCDP). Initiatives are progressed and monitored by a group of Government agencies that make up the Inter-Agency Committee on Drugs (IACD).

National alcohol strategy 2000-2003

Catherine — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 10:38:46 +1300

In a formal sense, the National Alcohol Strategy sits under the New Zealand Health Strategy and the National Drug Policy. The New Zealand Health Strategy sets the platform for change and identifies key priority areas, the National Drug Policy sets out the Government's commitment to minimise all drug related harm; and identifies various priority areas and desired outcomes towards this end.

Seeing through the smoke: tobacco monitoring in New Zealand 2005

Catherine — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 10:35:13 +1300

This report extends the brief section on monitoring included in Clearing the Smoke, the Ministry of Health's five-year strategic plan for tobacco control (2004-2009), and provides a more detailed overview of the current state of tobacco monitoring in New Zealand.

Clearing the smoke: A five-year plan for tobacco control in New Zealand 2004–2009

Catherine — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 10:33:39 +1300

This document details how the Ministry of Health plans to progress tobacco control activities over the five-year period 2004.2009. It has been developed from a literature review updating the evidence for major tobacco control interventions (Wilson 2003). It has taken into account previous planning in New Zealand and overseas, as well as feedback from consultation.

Health Select Committee report on Misuse of Drugs Act May 2005

Catherine — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 10:01:10 +1300

Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill (No 3) (186-2) and Supplementary Order Paper 298 (23 May 2005)

The bill as introduced amends two main areas of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 (the principal Act) and the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Act 1978 (the amendment Act). The bill allows presumption of supply matters to be amended by Order in Council, subject to an affirmative resolution procedure. It also amends the presumption of supply quantity for methamphetamine, and adds a Ministry of Justice official to the membership of the Expert Advisory Committee on Drugs.

Health Select Committee report on the WHO framework convention on tobacco control December 2003

Catherine — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 09:43:19 +1300

International treaty examination of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (11 December 2003)

The World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control represents an important step towards addressing the rise in tobacco use and tobacco-related diseases. The objective of the Convention and its protocols is to protect present and future generations from the devastating health, social, environmental, and economic consequences of tobacco consumption and exposure to tobacco smoke by providing a framework for tobacco control measures. The framework is to be implemented by parties at the national, regional, and international level in order to reduce continual and substantial tobacco use and exposure to tobacco smoke.