Safer drug laws for Aotearoa New Zealand: Evidence to inform regulatory change
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Safer drug laws for Aotearoa New Zealand: Evidence to inform regulatory change
Publication date: October 2025
In this report, the researchers examine the impact of New Zealand’s drug laws over the past 50 years, the perspectives of people who have directly experienced drug harm, and evidence from countries that have reformed their drug laws. The report sets out a suite of well-evidenced, pragmatic approaches for a safer and more responsive law. The proposed reforms are not about liberalisation. Instead, they focus on regulation, safety, and control.