The annual survey, put out by the NZ Drug Research Team at Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa\Massey University's SHORE & Whariki Research Centre, provides a snapshot of drug trends in Aotearoa New Zealand via an anonymous online questionnaire, completed by more than 8,800 people nationwide. The survey asks respondents about drug use patterns, market prices and availability, views on drug policy, and engagement with health services.
The release of the latest NZDTS findings on recreational and medicinal cannabis, show falling prices of illegal cannabis, more frequent cannabis use, increasing vape and edible use, and continued uptake of medicinal cannabis prescriptions, particularly from telehealth providers.
Associate Professor Marta Rychert of the NZ Drug Research Team says these trends reflect the changing supply and online retail environment for cannabis, and the influence of prescription access.
“It has never been easier to get cannabis in New Zealand. The price of an ounce of cannabis on the illegal market has declined to an average of $10.20 per gram. There has also never been more choice in terms of the range of cannabis products available, well beyond ’buds’ for smoking. Cannabis vapes and edibles are now sold on social media. You no longer need to go to a tinny house you can just order it online.”
The average national reported price of an ounce (28 grams) declined by 22 per cent, and the price of a pound (448 grams) has declined by 33 per cent since 2017.
Dr Rychert says the involvement of organised criminal groups, as reported in recent police operations, may be contributing to price declines.
“Another factor may be some competition from legally available medicinal cannabis products on prescription.”
Cannabis consumption patterns have also changed. While smoking cannabis remains the dominant mode of administration, there is increasing use of cannabis vaping, edibles and oral products. Dr Rychert says it’s concerning that the NZDTS indicated daily cannabis use has increased from 39 per cent in 2020 to 53 per cent in 2025.
“If consumers are shifting from smoking to vaping and edibles, they will reduce harm to their lungs. However, if these new means of use and products increase the amount and frequency of cannabis they consume, they are increasing the risk of harm, including dependency, cognitive impacts and mental illness.”
Dr Marta Rychert.
The proportion of cannabis consumers who report ‘mostly’ or ‘only’ using cannabis for medicinal reasons has also increased from 20 per cent in 2020 to 34 per cent in 2025. Dr Rychert says this reflects both the increasing availability of prescribed cannabis products under the Medicinal Cannabis Scheme, and the changing social norms and motivations around cannabis use in Aotearoa.
NZDTS has collected data about medicinal cannabis prescription access since the Medicinal Cannabis Scheme began in 2020. In this latest survey, the proportion of medicinal cannabis users who have had a prescription increased from 2 per cent in 2020 to 44 per cent in 2025. The year-on-year increases are consistent with administrative Ministry of Health data. Over 380,000 medicinal cannabis products were supplied in 2025, up from just over 180,000 in 2023.
The 2025 survey was the first time the NZDTS asked about prescription sources and medicinal cannabis products used. It showed that 83 per cent of medicinal cannabis users received a prescription from a cannabis clinic, compared to 21 per cent from a General Practitioner in a community health centre. Online consultations were reported much more frequently (75 per cent) than face-to-face appointments. Prescribed ‘buds’ and products containing the psychoactive ingredient THC were used by more respondents than non-intoxicating CBD products in oral liquid form.
“The emergence of cannabis clinics as leading prescribers suggests increasing privatisation of the sector. While the clinics undoubtedly improved access to cannabis-based products for medicinal use, there are also concerns about the lack of continuity of care and separation from regular GP services. The commercial dynamics may also shape prescribing practices”, Dr Rychert says.
“Given the association between THC use and elevated risk of adverse events and development of cannabis dependency, this trend warrants further monitoring,” she adds.
“Many medicinal cannabis users report improvements in quality of life and there is some evidence prescribed cannabis may reduce patients’ reliance on other pharmaceuticals with more serious side effects. But we need better data and clinical studies to confirm the efficacy of cannabis in many conditions. We also need to understand patient experiences and health outcomes from the new online clinics, and how they compare to medicinal cannabis prescribing by GPs”.
The NZDTS is conducted by the NZ Drugs Research Team from Massey University’s SHORE & Whariki Research Centre. The team consists of Professor Chris Wilkins, Associate Professor Marta Rychert, Dr Robin van der Sanden, Dr Jose Romeo and Thomas Graydon-Guy.
The 2025 NZDTS was completed by 8,883 New Zealanders, with surveys conducted between 9 May and 6 Oct 2025.
The research bulletins are available on the NZDTS website.
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