Kiwis are consuming more cannabis as prices on the illegal market drop and medicinal prescriptions become more readily available.
Photo / AP
Kiwis are consuming more cannabis as prices on the illegal market drop and medicinal prescriptions become more readily available.
Photo / AP
Kiwis are using more cannabis as prices decline and medicinal prescriptions become increasingly available, a new survey has found.
The latest findings from New Zealand Drug Trends Survey (NZDTS), released today, asked 8800 Kiwis about their recreational and medicinal cannabis use, identifying a range of key trends as the illegaland retail markets develop.
The survey found an ounce (28g) is on average 22% cheaper than it was in 2017, while a pound (448g) costs 33% less.
Associate Professor Marta Rychert, of the NZ Drug Research Team, said declining prices were likely responding to the competitive impact of the legal cannabis market.
“It has never been easier to get cannabis in New Zealand. The price of an ounce of cannabis on the illegal market has declined to an average of $10.20 per gram,” she said.
A large majority of these products are supplied by specialist cannabis clinics, with 83% of medicinal cannabis users acquiring their prescription through one.
Rychert said prescribing practices are likely shaped by the changing dynamics of the industry, online consultations accounting for 75% of medicinal cannabis prescriptions.
“While the clinics undoubtedly improved access to cannabis-based products for medicinal use, there are also concerns about the lack of continuity of care and separation from regular GP services,” she said.
She urged monitoring of the increasing privatisation of cannabis, as THC use is associated with an elevated risk of adverse events and dependency.
Associate Professor Marta Rychert of the NZ Drug Research Team. Photo / NZ Drug Research Team
Fifty-three % of cannabis users reported they used the drug daily, a 14% increase from 2020 which Rychert found concerning.
As well as an increase in general usage, the survey found many New Zealanders were favouring alternative forms of cannabis.
“There has also never been more choice in terms of the range of cannabis products available, well beyond ’buds’ for smoking. Cannabis vapes and edibles are now sold on social media.”
Rychert said this shift would help reduce the harm to cannabis users’ lungs.
“However, if these new means of use and products increase the amount and frequency of cannabis they consume, they are increasing the risk of harm, including dependency, cognitive impacts and mental illness.”
It comes as the number of Kiwis using cannabis mostly - or only - for medicinal reasons increased to 34%.
“Many medicinal cannabis users report improvements in quality of life and there is some evidence prescribed cannabis may reduce patients’ reliance on other pharmaceuticals with more serious side effects.”
However, Rychert said further study of cannabis’ efficacy in managing medical conditions was still needed.
“We also need to understand patient experiences and health outcomes from the new online clinics, and how they compare to medicinal cannabis prescribing by GPs.”
