Letter from KnowYourStuffNZ: What is Harm Reduction?

Posted 2:20pm Sunday 14th April 2024 by Max Phillips

My name is Max Phillips, and I am a drug user. “User” is a bit of a loaded word, but it shouldn’t be, since everyone reading this is also a drug user. Over 80% of New Zealanders drink alcohol (one of the most harmful drugs), and we can tend to forget that things like panadol are Read more...

Central Otago’s Drug Bust a Year in the Making

Posted 3:33pm Sunday 30th April 2023 by Jamiema Lorimer

Operation Vintage commenced in March of last year following a concerning increase of drugs and drug-related harm in Cromwell. Three men are facing charges for the sale and supply of cannabis and methamphetamines, and the unlawful possession of firearms. Properties were raided in Cromwell, Tarras, Read more...

Pick your Poison: Drug Trends in Dunedin

Posted 11:32am Sunday 16th April 2023 by Anna Robertshawe

The relationship between drugs and Dunedin party culture is probably stronger than your parent’s marriage. But much like fashion and music, taste in drugs has changed over the past few decades. Critic Te Ārohi decided to take a deep dive into Dunedin drug trends over time and ask why some Read more...

20% of Drugs Were Not as Advertised

Posted 2:28pm Sunday 2nd October 2022 by Zak Rudin

The annual drug checking report published by KnowYourStuffNZ (KYS) just dropped. Critic Te Ārohi delved into the numbers to uncover the highs and lows of drug testing over the 2021-2022 season. KYS are a “community organisation of volunteers,” operating in partnership with the Read more...

From “e-cig” to lifestyle accessory: how Big Tobacco transformed the vape

Posted 2:14pm Sunday 1st May 2022 by Denzel Chung

It’s a rapid rebranding unlike any other in history: from clumsy, unwieldy and distinctly uncool “electronic cigarette” to sleek, ubiquitous, essential lifestyle accessory. Here’s how vapes got Aotearoa in a stranglehold: a story of powerful corporations, cheap manufacturing, Read more...

Deal or No Deal

Posted 2:26pm Sunday 20th March 2022 by Justina King

From sketchy drops and Tinder swindlers to based grandmas and roleplaying dealers, buying drugs is an experience that can go a lot of ways.  Figures from the NZ Drug Foundation show that 80% of New Zealanders have tried the ol’ Wacky Tobacky by the age of 21, and 44% of adults will Read more...

Harder than He Needed to Be: Recreational Viagra

Posted 2:29pm Sunday 20th March 2022 by Fox Meyer

Viagra can make your penis feel like it’s throbbing. It can put unnecessary strain on your blood pressure, and it can lead to erections that, just like the infomercials claim, can last for more than four hours. Ross, a student here, didn’t seem to give a shit about any of that. Ross Read more...

Harder than it needed to be: Obtaining Viagra

Posted 2:30pm Sunday 20th March 2022 by Ruby Werry

For those of you keen to give casual Viagra a go, be aware that – much like in daily life – if you don’t have a dick, things are gonna be hard. Allegedly, Viagra is available over the counter at pharmacies, but there's a catch. Just like most high-level positions in government, Read more...

Pass, Pass, Pass – Rare but severe reactions to weed

Posted 2:50pm Sunday 20th March 2022 by Lotto Ramsay

CW: Psychosis Weed is the most widely used illicit drug in New Zealand, and for good reason. Cannabis has wide applications for mental and physical health, has no reported cases of fatal overdose, and in many ways is significantly less dangerous than alcohol. The long-running Dunedin Study Read more...