The Matai Medical Research Team. Photo / Matai Medical Research
By Taiha Molyneux of RNZ
A Māori-led methamphetamine recovery programme in Gisborne is being hailed as a global leader in addiction research and recovery.
He Haerenga ki te Whakaora, run by Mātai Medical Research, combined clinical science with mātauranga Māori to support people recovering from methamphetamine addiction.
The programme had successfully helped participants achieve sustained abstinence and senior research associate Wendy Mohi said it’s the result of a collective commitment to embracing the knowledge of two worlds.
“Te ao Māori ensures wraparound support for the entire whānau and helps maintain a broader focus on physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.”
Participants were given access to advanced MRI imaging, psychometric testing and cognitive assessments administered by neurological, cardiological and psychological experts.
“With MRI scans whai ora [participants] see for themselves the impact meth use has on their brain and heart. There are specific areas of the brain impacted and there’s a kind of shading and deflation where the damage is.”
Mohi said access to such valuable technology and expertise also helps identify underlying health issues that need to be considered.
“As they continue on their abstinence journey, they can literally see the damaged areas of their brain and heart start to recover and it’s a huge motivation for them.”
The latest national data shows methamphetamine use in Aotearoa has risen sharply since 2024, with Māori disproportionately affected compared with non-Māori.
National wastewater testing data from police was released in March with the estimation that 34.7kg of methamphetamine was consumed each week across the country during the final three months of 2025.
Mohi, a former police sergeant, said she saw first-hand the destruction methamphetamine caused and the gaps in long-term support.
“There are services out there, but not enough – and too many work in isolation. Rehab clinics get people clean, but they’re often sent back to the places and people that fostered their addiction with no ongoing support.”
Sarah Helm, executive director of the New Zealand Drug Foundation, said the research underpinning the programme is groundbreaking.
“It’s world-leading – and it potentially turns how we view drug use and addiction on its head.”
Helm said the programme was attracting international attention not just for its results, but also for the way it combined science with culture.
“To have a little kaupapa Māori research outfit in Gisborne leading the way globally is staggering.”
She said the programme’s strength lay in integrating clinical science with mātauranga Māori rather than treating them as competing approaches.
“It’s the combination that’s proving more effective.”
Helm said the programme was also enhancing understanding of the impact undiagnosed or untreated ADHD could have on addiction treatment.
“Because they are treating the person, not just a condition, they’ve helped long-term meth users with ADHD achieve sustained abstinence.”
Mohi said most whai ora in the programme’s initial cohort were diagnosed with ADHD.
The ongoing study has found people without access to medication or diagnosis were often using meth to treat the symptoms they’re experiencing.
“They weren’t using meth to get high or get a buzz, they were using meth to maintain the energy to function normally.”
Helm says there is very little research available that explores ADHD and its potential connection to addiction.
“If there are health reasons for people using substances, we can offer them a better approach.”
Research from the first cohort showed sustained abstinence and stronger reconnection with iwi, whānau and the wider community.
For those behind the programme, the outcomes reflect what meaningful partnership under Te Tiriti o Waitangi could achieve.
Both Mohi and Helm said systems designed without Māori partnership often miss critical aspects needed for long-term recovery.
Helm said community response to the programme had been overwhelming.
“We’ve been met with resounding confirmation – this makes sense to people.”
For Mohi, the programme’s impact goes beyond the data.
“Once they know who they are, there’s no stopping them.”