A major report authored by a University of Otago – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka, Christchurch researcher shows New Zealanders want to see more funding for a health-based approach to tackling the country's drug issues, sending a clear political message that a change in policy response to drugs will be supported.
Dr Rose Crossin
The Helen Clark Foundation-published report, New Zealand's choice: Funding our drug policy, was researched by Dr Rose Crossin (Department of Public Health) during her four-month research and study leave undertaken earlier this year.
Rose says the report clearly shows that New Zealanders strongly support a re-allocation of spending priorities.
"This project was really important to me, because I think it's vital to understand community views on complex policy areas, like drugs," Rose says.
"It highlights a significant gap between what the community wants, and the actuality, in terms of funding a health-based approach to drugs. This means that our politicians have a lot of room to move in that direction, and to make evidence-based decisions."
Rose says New Zealand's drug law has had little change since New Zealand passed the Misuse of Drugs Act mor than 50 years ago.
"In the face of the growing presence of synthetics in the drug supply offshore and the impacts on our communities when there is insufficient harm reduction, the need to reform how we respond is great," she explains.
The Foundation's report focuses on three key areas; where our drug funding is currently being spent; how people would prefer to see the funding allocated; and whether a 'deliberative democracy' process to engage citizens is effective for reaching consensus on sensitive and complex policy challenges such as this.
"Deliberative democracy was something I'd been thinking and reading about for a long time but had not had the opportunity to incorporate into my research. It worked better than hoped, and it was heartening to see a group of citizens engaging with evidence, having respectful debate, learning from each other and experts, and building consensus," Rose says.
The Drug Harm Index, which estimates the cost of illegal drug harm, shows illicit drug use in New Zealand costs close to $2 billion of harm each year. This research found that the Government spends close to half a billion dollars annually responding to drug use.
"New Zealanders from all political perspectives want to see more funding for drug prevention and harm reduction, including those for whom law enforcement remains a priority."
Breaking down New Zealand's drug budget for the first time across four drug policy areas reveals that 68 per cent of funding goes to law enforcement, 25 per cent to treatment, six per cent on prevention, and just over one per cent on harm reduction.
In contrast, the findings show a community preference for almost two-thirds of funding to be allocated to health-based approaches like prevention, harm reduction, and treatment –36 per cent to law enforcement, 24 per cent to treatment, 25 percent to prevention, and 16 per cent to harm reduction.
"New Zealanders from all political perspectives want to see more funding for drug prevention and harm reduction, including those for whom law enforcement remains a priority," she says.
The report makes several recommendations to the Government to improve New Zealand drug policy; immediately increasing funding for prevention, treatment, and harm reduction in line with stated community preferences; developing, implementing and funding evidence-based drug prevention and harm reduction programmes; and holding a Citizens Assembly on the issue of illegal drugs within the next two years.
The Foundation's patron Helen Clark says the research suggests there is an opportunity to achieve cross-party consensus on a more humane, evidence-based, and cost-effective response to drug use in New Zealand.
"It shows New Zealanders are more likely to support greater emphasis on a health-based approach to drugs than politicians and policymakers may think, creating an opportunity for decision-makers to follow the evidence and update drug policy settings knowing they are likely to have community support," Helen Clark says.
Rose says she is very grateful for the assistance the Foundation provided her.
"They are filling an important gap in New Zealand, generating and promoting policy research on complex topics. On a personal note, it was also humbling to have Helen Clark, Chair of the Global Drug Policy Commission, reviewing my research," she enthuses.
University of Otago Faculty of Medicine – Christchurch, Dean Professor Lutz Beckert congratulates Rose for her work producing this important body of research.
"It is with pride that I acknowledge Rose's research addressing our community's needs around drug use, harm reduction, and treatment," Lutz says.
"She continues an important tradition established by Professors Doug Sellman and Joe Boden at our Christchurch campus. The interest shown by the Honourable Helen Clark underlines the significance of this research for our policymakers and community leaders."
Rose says she is grateful to her University colleagues for supporting her leave to complete the project – particularly Professors Boden and Sellman who attended deliberative workshops and shared their knowledge and expertise with the group.
– Kōrero by Lorelei Mason
