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National Drugs in Wastewater Testing Programme - Quarter 2, 2025

National Drugs in Wastewater Testing Programme - Quarter 2, 2025

Date Published: 
October 2025

Results are now available for the second quarter (2025) of drugs in wastewater testing, which covers around 77% of New Zealand’s population.

The drugs tested for include methamphetamine, MDMA, cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin. These reports focus on methamphetamine, MDMA and cocaine as these drugs are routinely detected by the programme.

Social harm cost estimates have been included in this report. These are derived from the New Zealand Illicit Drug Harm Index 2023 (National Drug Intelligence Bureau (2023). The New Zealand Illicit Drug Harm Index 2023: Research report. Wellington: Ministry of Health). The Drug Harm Index 2023 provides a conservative measure of the harms associated with the use of illicit drugs in New Zealand and considers both personal and community harms.

Key findings: April – June (Q2 2025)

Please note, the Q2 2025 report includes a third page providing the data behind the per capita consumption by district bar graphs.

Methamphetamine

  • Methamphetamine use across sample sites decreased in Q2 2025, averaging an estimated 29.1 kilograms per week. This was 2% (or 0.6 kilograms) below the average quantity consumed over the previous four quarters.
  • Despite the decrease in overall consumption, some districts continued to record above average per capita methamphetamine consumption rates in Q2 2025. This was largely due to peaks in consumption in April 2025 in these locations.
  • Methamphetamine use across sample sites in Q2 2025 equates to an estimated weekly social harm cost of $30.5 million.

Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)

  • MDMA use decreased in Q2 2025, averaging an estimated 6.0 kilograms per week. This was 16% (or 1.1 kilograms) below the average quantity consumed over the previous four quarters.
  • Only Central and Eastern Districts recorded increased MDMA use when compared with their respective average consumption rates over the previous four quarters.
  • MDMA use across sample sites in Q2 2025 equates to an estimated weekly social harm cost of $1.3 million.

Cocaine

  • Cocaine use remained stable in Q2 2025, averaging an estimated 4.5 kilograms per week. This was 8% (or 0.3 kilograms) above the average quantity consumed over the previous four quarters.
  • Most districts recorded above average cocaine use when compared with their respective average consumption rates over the previous four quarters.
  • Cocaine use across sample sites in Q2 2025 equates to an estimated weekly social harm cost of $1.7 million.