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: Do you set New Year’s resolutions?
🎉 2026 is almost here!
We’re curious ... how do you welcome it?
Do you set resolutions, follow special traditions, or just go with the flow?
-
10.3% Yes! New Year, New Me
-
20.3% Yes - but I rarely stick to them
-
69.3% Nah - not for me
🎉The Riddler wants to hear from you 🫵
🧩 Got a riddle that can stump your Neighbourly community? Share your brain teasers with us and watch your neighbours scratch their heads 😕🤔❓
Send us your tricky puzzles!
Morning Aches Are Optional - Let’s Start the Year Sleeping Better
Hey neighbours,
Waking up with sore shoulders and stiff mornings? Here’s the plot twist - it might actually be your mattress (and pillow) letting you down.
It’s the perfect time to upgrade. New Year, New Bed! Our Boxing Day Sale is still on, so why not treat yourself to a mattress that actually supports you and helps you wake up refreshed? Side sleeper? Back sleeper? Tossing and turning? We’ve got tips and solutions for every kind of snoozer.
Don’t settle for mornings that hurt, your bed should work with you, not against you. Curious about how your mattress could be affecting your shoulders? Check out our blog: beds4u.co.nz...
Find your nearest Beds4U store here: beds4u.co.nz/store-locator
Browse all Boxing Day deals: beds4u.co.nz/boxing-day
Here’s to starting 2026 waking up refreshed, because mornings should feel amazing!
Loading…
