Growing practices and the use of potentially harmful chemical additives from a web survey of mainly small-scale cannabis growers in 18 countries.

Background: There is emerging recognition of the risks of harmful chemical pesticides, fertilizers and 'nutrients' by cannabis growers. One group of chemicals, Plant Growth Regulators (PGRs), many of which have been banned from food crops for decades, have been found unlisted in a number of fertilizers and supplements marketed at cannabis growers.

Methods: This paper predominately uses data from a 2020-21 convenience web survey of mainly small-scale, recent (last 5yrs) cannabis growers from 18 countries (n = 11,479).

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cannabis cultivation and use in 18 countries.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and the accompanying measures to mitigate infection affected many areas of society, including the supply and use of cannabis. This paper explored how patterns of behaviour among people who cultivate cannabis were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions.

Methods: An anonymous web survey of people who cultivated cannabis was conducted from Aug 2020 to Sep 2021, spanning 18 countries and 11 languages (N = 11,479).

Exploring the substitution of cannabis for alcohol and other drugs among a large convenience sample of people who use cannabis.

Background: The substitution of cannabis for alcohol and other drugs has been conceptualised in a harm reduction framework as where cannabis is used to reduce the negative side-effects, addiction potential, and social stigma of other drugs. There is currently mixed evidence with recent reviews suggesting cannabis co-use patterns may vary by age and ethnicity. Yet few studies have had large enough samples to examine this demographic variation in detail.

Implementation of the Medicinal Cannabis Scheme in New Zealand: six emerging trends.

Aim: To evaluate the implementation of the New Zealand Medicinal Cannabis Scheme (MCS), including how products, prices, prescribing and patient access have evolved since 2020.

Method: Analysis of administrative data obtained via Official Information Act (OIA) requests and publicly available information on products and prices.

Results: Six emerging trends were identified: 1) quarterly supply of medicinal cannabis products has increased fourteenfold since the implementation of the Scheme in 2020, 2) most products are now THC-dominant rather than CBD, 3) most products are in the form of dried cannabis flower rather than oral liquids/oils, 4) prices of products have declined to be comparable to the illegal market, 5) specialised private cannabis clinics have expanded patient access, and 6) inequities persist due to expense, and disproportionately affect Māori and those on lower incomes.

Conflict and social control among cannabis growers.

Aims: Illegal drug markets are often assumed to be violent and predatory due to the absence of third-party enforcement. While cannabis markets are generally considered to be relatively more peaceful, there has been little investigation of the levels of conflict and victimization among small-scale cannabis growers, particularly under different cannabis policy and enforcement settings. This paper explores prevalence and predictors of conflict and social control among small-scale cannabis growers.

Use of flavored cannabis vaping products in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand: findings from the international cannabis policy study wave 4 (2021).

Vaping is an increasingly popular mode of cannabis use. Few studies have characterized the role of flavors in cannabis e-liquids. To explore the prevalence of flavored vaping liquids, including differences between countries and correlates of use.

Cannabis Social Clubs in Contemporary Legalization Reforms: Talking Consumption Sites and Social Justice.

There is ongoing debate about what policy approaches to cannabis use might best address health and social related harm. Profit-driven, adult-use cannabis markets have been introduced in the United States and Canada, where legalization reform has had mixed effects to date in terms of public health and has made limited progress in achieving social justice aims. Meanwhile, several jurisdictions have seen an organic evolution of alternative cannabis-supply regimes.

Barriers and facilitators to prescribing medicinal cannabis in New Zealand.

Introduction The New Zealand Medicinal Cannabis Scheme (NZMCS) was established in April 2020 with the aim of expanding access to quality controlled medicinal cannabis products and developing a domestic medicinal cannabis industry. Yet, two years later, many patients report challenges in utilising the NZMCS, including physicians' reluctance to provide prescriptions for products. Aim To explore the barriers and facilitators to prescribing medicinal cannabis in New Zealand.

The New Zealand drug harms ranking study: A multi-criteria decision analysis.

Aims: The harms arising from psychoactive drug use are complex, and harm reduction strategies should be informed by a detailed understanding of the extent and nature of that harm. Drug harm is also context specific, and so any comprehensive assessment of drug harm should be relevant to the characteristics of the population in question. This study aimed to evaluate and rank drug harms within Aotearoa New Zealand using a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) framework, and to separately consider harm within the total population, and among youth.

Exploring Differences in Daily Vaping of Nicotine and Cannabis among People Who Use Drugs in New Zealand.

Little is known about daily vaping of different substances, particularly cannabis. To explore daily vaping of cannabis and nicotine products in a sample of people who use drugs in New Zealand. The online New Zealand Drug Trends convenience survey ( = 23,500) was promoted to those aged 16+ a targeted Facebook™ campaign, with 9,042 reporting vaping in the past six months.

Legal sourcing of ten cannabis products in the Canadian cannabis market, 2019-2021: a repeat cross-sectional study.

Background: One of the objectives of cannabis legalization in Canada is to transition consumers from the illegal to the legal market. Little is known about how legal sourcing varies across different cannabis product types, provinces, and frequency of cannabis use.

Methods: Data were analyzed from Canadian respondents in the International Cannabis Policy Study, a repeat cross-sectional survey conducted annually from 2019 to 2021.

The role of cannabis clinics in the health system: a qualitative study of physicians' views in New Zealand.

Background: Privately-owned cannabis clinics have sprung up in many jurisdictions where medicinal cannabis has been legalised and provide an alternative pathway for patients who are unable or unwilling to access a prescription for cannabis-based medicinal products from their usual healthcare providers.

Aims: This study aimed to explore physicians' views on cannabis clinics, including their perceptions of the role cannabis clinics play in the wider health system.

Methods: A qualitative study using in-depth, semi-structured interviews with thirty-one physicians affiliated with private and community clinics in New Zealand (including cannabis clinicians, GPs, and specialist doctors).

Lessons from the implementation of residential methamphetamine contamination policies in New Zealand.

Introduction: Methamphetamine contamination of housing has been discussed as a significant issue in New Zealand. However, scientific evidence to determine a threshold level at which health harms occur is inconclusive, resulting in conflicting and changing guidance. The initial strong precautionary policy, with significant unintended impacts on vulnerable public housing tenants, dramatically changed following a scientific review.

'Choice' of social media platform or encrypted messaging app to buy and sell illegal drugs.

Social media is increasingly being utilized to facilitate the buying and selling of illegal drugs, particularly by young people. However, the range of social media and messaging platforms means people must make 'choices' around which platforms they will use to conduct drug transactions. Polymedia theory suggests that people use different media to manage their social relationships, 'choosing' appropriate channels or platforms based on platform features and the social context of the relationship.

Outcomes from the New Zealand Tenancy Tribunal after a review of policy on residential housing methamphetamine contamination.

The New Zealand policy response to methamphetamine contamination of housing has resulted in reduction of public housing stock, award of significant remediation costs and evictions. The New Zealand Tenancy Tribunal (NZTT) has adjudicated methamphetamine contamination disputes between tenants and landlords without specific guidance in legislation. A 2018 scientific review by the Chief Science Advisor prompted a significant increase in the contamination threshold.

Measuring drug harm in New Zealand: a stocktake of current data sources.

Aims: The availability of legal and illegal drugs is widespread across New Zealand. All drugs have the potential to cause harm to those who use them, and to others. Understanding the nature and extent of these harms depends upon the ongoing and systematic collection of relevant data, which is crucial in achieving the current national policy goal of minimising drug harm.

Assessing options for cannabis law reform: A Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) with stakeholders in New Zealand.

Background: A number of jurisdictions are considering or implementing different options for cannabis law reform, including New Zealand. Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) helps facilitate the resolution of complex policy decisions by breaking them down into key criteria and drawing on the combined knowledge of experts from various backgrounds.

Aims: To rank cannabis law reform options by facilitating expert stakeholders to express preferences for projected reform outcomes using MCDA.

Exploring the Adjudication of Methamphetamine-related Housing Contamination Cases in New Zealand.

Residential methamphetamine contamination in New Zealand has resulted in substantial clean-up costs and evictions. Disputes between tenants and landlords have been adjudicated by the New Zealand Tenancy Tribunal (NZTT). However, the adjudication processes applied are not covered in specific legislation, and scientific advice and related regulatory standards have evolved over time, leading to uncertainty about the consistency of decisions.

Predictors of using social media to purchase drugs in New Zealand: Findings from a large-scale online survey.

Background: There are increasing reports of social media being used to buy and sell illegal drugs internationally. Studies of social media drug markets to date have largely involved general explorations of social media drug transactions in select countries. Social media drug markets may operate differently for different drug types and in different country contexts.

Spatial, temporal and socioeconomic patterns of illicit drug use in New Zealand assessed using wastewater-based epidemiology timed to coincide with the census.

Aims: A discrete experiment in wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) timed to coincide with the census was used to investigate the spatial, temporal and socioeconomic patterns of illicit drug consumption in Auckland, Bay of Plenty and Canterbury.

Methods: For seven consecutive days over census week (6 March 2018), wastewater was sampled from seven wastewater treatment plants and analysed for methamphetamine, cocaine (as benzoylecgonine) and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). Detailed sewer catchment maps were developed and, together with the data, were used to analyse drug consumption.