Drugs and Booze: The Price is High
New Zealand is the priciest place in the world to buy cocaine and MDMA pills, according to the 2018 Global Drug Survey.
Kiwis also forked out the fourth-highest price for LSD compared with the 20 countries surveyed.
Our small population and the high risks associated with border control have long made party drugs expensive, NZ Drug Foundation director Ross Bell said. “Bargains” were often not the real thing, he warned.
"This is why meth became so big in New Zealand because we couldn't get our hands on MDMA and coke and thought f... it, we will just make our own drug, and make a potent thing out of cold and flu medicine and whatever."
The survey also shone a light on how Kiwis tended to buy and use cannabis. About four percent grew their own, while 45.5 percent got it through friends, 26.5 percent through friends of friends, and one in six through dealers they knew.
Bell said it was a bit of a Kiwi tradition to share, and that extended to trading. "It's always been that kind of Kiwi generosity."
And while alcohol is also a drug, the study showed many New Zealanders remained "delusional" about how bad their drinking was.
The figures showed 62.5 percent of women under 25 did not know drinking less reduced the risk of seven different types of cancer, and almost half were unaware that even people with heavy alcohol use can significantly reduce the risk of harm by having two alcohol-free days per week.
About 40 percent of people were unaware alcohol offered little or no health benefit.
"That's the one New Zealanders want to hold on to, that a little bit of alcohol is good for you, but it's just not true," addiction medicine specialist, professor Adam Winstock said.
Poll: Is Auckland’s economy improving?
The latest reporting from The Post suggests a wave of optimism for 2026. With interest rates finally heading south, businesses are feeling more positive. But for many on the ground, the real-world recovery feels a bit like a slow-moving commute on Auckland's motorways.
We want to know: Are you seeing signs of Auckland's economy improving in your industry or neighbourhood? Whether it's busier shops, new projects kicking off, or just a shift in the mood ...
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0% Yes
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0% No
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0% A little
🧩😏 Riddle me this, Neighbours…
I am an odd number. Take away a letter and I become even. What number am I?
Do you think you know the answer?
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