Weird Cones 2: Electric Bongaloo

Posted 4:52pm Sunday 16th March 2025 by Critic Staff

The idea of doing a sequel to one of our favourite articles ever, ‘I tried to rip bongs through household ingredients’, has been floating around the writers’ room for years now like a cloud of questionable smoke. The original included bongs of raw eggs, sardines, and instant Read more...

Editorial: But First, A Disclaimer

Posted 5:11pm Sunday 16th March 2025 by Nina Brown

The cover of this issue couldn’t have more explicitly announced the theme of this issue: drugs! If the overwhelming hype behind the mysterious Boba Ket’s drug review last year was anything to go by, it’s been one of Critic’s most popular themed issues. They printed double the Read more...

The Call of The Wild: A Bush Doof Epic

Posted 11:00pm Sunday 9th March 2025 by Ella Grayson

I had always heard of bush doofs, and honestly, it sounded like some proper hippy shit. But when my name spawned in a mysterious meta server promoting an addy-to-be-confirmed neck-of-the-woods DNB-electro-psych doof to end all doofs, I knew something temptingly chaotic was on the horizon. My native Read more...

Spiked: An Invisible Crime

Posted 11:02pm Sunday 19th May 2024 by Jodie Evans

TW: Mentions of sexual assault and detailed depictions of drink spiking  At university, everyone seems to know someone who’s been spiked. The phenomenon hangs in the air at flat parties and lingers about the bathrooms of student bars, yet remains grossly stigmatised. Following Read more...

Breaking: K-Hole Affects the P-Hole

Posted 5:28pm Saturday 11th May 2024 by Phoebe Lea

A clinical correspondence in the New Zealand Medical Journal has revealed that recreational ketamine use can lead to irreversible bladder damage. In other words, too many keys of ket can lead to pee problems in the future.  Ketamine Bladder Syndrome (KBS) includes a range of conditions such Read more...

71.6% Increase in Region’s MDMA Consumption During Flo-Week

Posted 5:19pm Sunday 21st April 2024 by Hanna Varrs

Wastewater testing has revealed a 71.6% increase in MDMA consumption during Flo-Week, meaning the cops know you got geary. Cocaine consumption also had a marginal rise (in this economy?) but it was 35 times less prevalent than MDMA.  The information has come to light after Critic Te Read more...

The Great Critic Drug Review

Posted 2:08pm Sunday 14th April 2024 by Boba Ket

Disclaimer: The content provided in this article is not intended to encourage the use of illegal drugs or substance abuse. The information is based on personal experiences and subjective observations that are not applicable to everyone, and should not be used as a substitute for professional Read more...

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...

Steamed the New Stoned?

Posted 12:57pm Sunday 14th April 2024 by Hugh Askerud

Dunedin has a pretty notorious drug culture. One drop of our wastewater could show the entirety of Gloriavale a damn good time. And yet, one would be pressed to find a hardcore, “substances are a personality trait” type druggie in even your most bruising Castle St flat these days – Read more...

Editorial: Stay Safe, Kids

Posted 1:08pm Sunday 14th April 2024 by Nina Brown

Welcome to the Drugs Issue. You may have picked that up already based on the bong-heavy design of both the cover and centrefold. We timed it to come out the week of Hyde Street Party and 4/20 – which conveniently happens to be the same day this year. I see you, OUSA. “Drugs” is Read more...