New report on improving harm reduction approaches to methamphetamine in New Zealand

The New Zealand Drug Foundation and the Helen Clark Foundation have jointly commissioned and released a new report which shows that New Zealand’s approach to methamphetamine needs a thorough overhaul, with existing policies both failing the community and causing significant harm. In my op ed on the report, I wrote that “Prohibition doesn't work either in reducing the demand for or the supply of drugs. It actually causes serious harm, not least as criminalisation further stigmatises people & worsens downward cycles of addiction”, and that “It's pointless & costly to lock people who use the drug into cycles of addiction & incarceration”. See my op ed here, and check out the full report here. It makes recommendations on how New Zealand can do better on harm reduction.