Free, legal drug checking now available at regular community clinics
Free, legal drug checking is now available at regular community clinics in Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin.
The clinics are provided by the Needle Exchange Services Trust (NEST) and run five days a week in Wellington and Christchurch, and four days a week in Dunedin. They’ve been made possible by a recent law change permitting licensed providers to offer regular or occasional checking clinics and by funding from the Addiction Commissioning team at Te Whatu Ora.
This is the first year that regular, ongoing drug checking has been available in the community. Previously clinics were limited to festival or event checking clinics and occasional clinics in community settings.
Know Your Stuff NZ and the New Zealand Drug Foundation are also licensed by the Ministry of Health Manatū Hauora to offer drug checking.
National Harm Reduction Lead at NEST Jason George, says that the service is confidential and allows drug users to find out what is actually in the drugs they’re taking.
Typically drug checking shows up to a third of drugs contained additional or different drugs from what the person thought they’d bought. It also allows for an open conversation about the quantity of drugs they are taking, about mixing different substances - such as MDMA and anti-depressants - or about safe injecting practices.
The Christchurch clinic is open 1 to 7pm Tuesday to Saturday at 10 Washington Way.