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Drug expert surprised by Christchurch's ecstasy use

Author
Newstalk ZB Staff,
Publish Date
Wed, 29 Mar 2017, 10:55AM
Data taken from the city's wastewater shows the drug is used twice as much in there, as it is in Auckland. (Getty)
Data taken from the city's wastewater shows the drug is used twice as much in there, as it is in Auckland. (Getty)

Drug expert surprised by Christchurch's ecstasy use

Author
Newstalk ZB Staff,
Publish Date
Wed, 29 Mar 2017, 10:55AM

The level of ecstasy being used in Christchurch has surprised an expert of the local drug scene.

Data taken from the city's wastewater shows the drug is used twice as much there, as it is in Auckland.

Canterbury University criminologist Greg Newbold said this surprised him as ecstasy is exclusively imported.

"I would expect MDMA to be prevalent in Port Cities, rather than in a city like Christchurch, which doesn't have a big international port like Auckland and Tauranga."

Methamphetamine was by far the most prevalent of the drugs tested for in both Auckland and Christchurch.

For the last three months Police, Customs and the Ministry of Health have been carrying out a pilot programme using waste to measure drug consumption.

In December, 731 grams of meth per week was found in Christchurch waste, in January 458 grams, and in February 798 grams.

All of Christchurch's wastewater was tested and compared to a waste plant in Auckland that services a similar population size.

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