The New Zealand Drug Trends Research Team conducts a range of research in the field of substance use, substance use-related harm and drug markets to inform prevention, early intervention and health and treatment response in Aotearoa and beyond.
We are a cross-disciplinary team of university-based experts from public health, policy, law, economics, criminology, who have expertise in quantitative and qualitative methods, drug market and trend analysis, policy evaluation, digital media and harm, and health systems and design. Our recent research has explored how digital technologies (darknets, social media) are transforming drug use and drug markets, investigated the role of organized crime in the supply of methamphetamine and new synthetic drugs, analyzed the social impacts of changing cannabis policies, and explored youth engagement with nicotine vape products and online retail environments.
Senior team members include Professor Chris Wilkins, Associate Professor Marta Rychert, and Dr Robin van der Sanden, who work alongside experienced statisticians, programmers and digital research support staff. The team has a track record of academic publications in leading drug policy journals, and we are committed to science media dissemination, collaboration and co-design with key stakeholders, the addiction workforce and the broader public through graphically designed research bulletins, expert-led training sessions and co-design workshops.
