NZDTS team members – Marta Rychert, Chris Wilkins, Thomas Graydon-Guy, Jose Romeo (Pepe) and Robin van der Sanden
This year's edition of the annual New Zealand Drug Trends survey reveals long-term trends in drug availability, price, and use of drugs. Professor Chris Wilkins discusses the findings in a 1 News interview. More detail can be found on the NZ Drug Trends webpage.
According to a recently published New Zealand study Exploring the substitution of cannabis for alcohol and other drugs, 60% of cannabis and alcohol users say weed makes them drink less. Associate Professor Chris Wilkins discussed the implications for cannabis legalisation and other findings from the study in an interview with the New Zealand Herald.
Sally Casswell writes that despite this modest drop in consumption, inequity in the damage from alcohol remains. The Conversation
Professor Chris Wilkins discusses the meth disguised as lollies found in Auckland City Mission food parcels, the shift in where meth in New Zealand is coming from, and the increase in detections of the drug in wastewater testing . TVNZ Breakfast
Belinda Borell
Teah Carlson
Whariki researchers Dr Belinda Borell, Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi, Whakatōhea, and Dr Teah Carlson, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, Ngāti Porou, Waikato-Tainui, have each received a four-year fellowship from the Health Research Council. Read more about Belinda and Teah on Massey News and an item on Teah’s project published in the New Zealand Herald.
Congratulations to Robin van der Sanden on graduating with a doctorate in Public Health from Massey University. Robin is pictured here with two of her supervisors, Marta Rychert and Chris Wilkins.
A new study published in Addiction addresses a gap in understanding around the full scope of alcohol-related harm. It estimates the reduction in healthy years of life lived due to alcohol consumed by another was greater than the impact on the drinker themselves in Aotearoa New Zealand and provides further evidence of the disproportionate impact of alcohol products on Māori. See further detail at Massey News where lead author Sally Casswell discusses the findings.
Professor Chris Wilkins discusses the implications of the return of pseudoephedrine to New Zealand pharmacies in the context of the wider changes identified in the meth market in recent years. TVNZ Breakfast
Funded Māori MA Thesis Scholarship!
MA thesis opportunity in a Marsden funded Māori media project, commencing 2024. Applications close 29 February 2024, 5pm
Please contact: Angela Moewaka Barnes
a.mwakabarnes@massey.ac.nz
Third wave of research bulletins from 2022/23 NZ Drugs Trends Survey (NZDTS) on vaping, medicinal cannabis, cannabis law reform and help seeking released today. Download here:
The second batch of research bulletins from 2022/23 NZ Drugs Trends Survey (NZDTS) on gangs, social media, darknets and victimization have been released today and can be accessed from this link https://shoreandwhariki.ac.nz/nzdts-research-bulletins-2
NZ Drugs Trends survey results released today! NZDTS research bulletins — SHORE & Whariki Research Centre (shoreandwhariki.ac.nz)
A multi-disciplinary team from SHORE & Whāriki have been examining the experiences of tenants and landlords across New Zealand's private rental sector. The findings underscore the diversity of experiences within the sector and the ongoing need to improve tenant wellbeing and ensure access to secure and affordable rental homes.
SHORE & Whariki held a combined 21st birthday and Matariki celebration for current and past team members.
Associate Professor Chris Wilkins and the Drugs Research Team at SHORE & Whariki have been awarded HRC funding for a project on cannabis policy reform. See these links for further information on the project: https://www.massey.ac.nz/about/news/health-researchers-secure-funding-for-projects-with-life-changing-potential/ and https://www.hrc.govt.nz/news-and-events/research-sector-awarded-537-million-tackle-range-health-issues
World leading researchers on regulating the marketing of unhealthy products in the evolving digital ecosystem spoke at a public policy seminar hosted by SHORE & Whariki in October. See the presentations here:
Congratulations to Dr. Denisse Sanchez Lozano, graduating with a doctorate in Public Health from Massey University. Best wishes from her supervisors, Assoc. Professor Chris Wilkins and Dr. Marta Rychert, Well done!
Sally Casswell discusses the issue of how to regulate cross-border alcohol advertising via digital media in an article published in The Conversation today. She describes the emergence of the metaverse, a supersized social media network.
Read more here.
SHORE & Whariki were commissioned by Fire and Emergency NZ to explore the early experiences of their volunteers and understand the key influences on volunteer engagement and retention. See more information here.
The Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs has just published a FastTake by Sally Casswell and Thomas F. Babor on 'The gathering storm: Global alcohol problems and what needs to be done'.
Read more here.