The latest results from the New Zealand Drug Trends Survey (NZDTS) 2024 indicates a sharp rise in medical cannabis users with a prescription.
Since New Zealand’s Medicinal Cannabis Scheme was fully implemented in 2020, the survey has asked participants about their participation in it. The latest survey reveals medical cannabis users who had a prescription jumped from just 9 per cent in 2022/2023 to 37 per cent in 2024.
While 85% of cannabis users reported illegal cannabis is “very easy” or “easy” to access, one in four using it medicinally indicate legal clinics and pharmacies were their “main source” of cannabis instead of the illegal market.
The leading reasons to use cannabis medicinally were:
- mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety
- sleep issues
- pain.
42 per cent of female users used it to help address symptoms of women’s health conditions such as endometriosis.
While 60 per cent of medical cannabis users hadn’t asked their doctor for a prescription, this was well down on the previous survey – 85 per cent. The reasons why are also changing. Previously patient concerns were mainly around refusal, but now predominantly about the cost of legal products. But those concerns may not be well-founded.
“Prices of prescribed medicinal cannabis products have also fallen in the past year, and in many cases are comparable with the illegal market. Consumers’ perception of prices may change with more time,” said Associate Professor Marta Rychert from Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University.
As for attitudes to the potential for recreational cannabis, a high proportion supported a strictly-regulated legal cannabis market as well as decriminalisation; while a minority supported the current approach of prohibition.
“When we looked at the results broken down by political party affiliation, we also found preference for moderate reform options across both liberal and conservative voters,” said Ass. Prof. Rychert. “It shows that people with different ideological views can still support similar types of reform.”
A non-binding referendum held in New Zealand in 2020 concerning a bill that would have legalised the sale, use, possession and production of adult use cannabis failed to pass muster – but it was reasonably close. 48.83% voted in support of the bill and 51.17% against it.
The latest NZDTS survey results can be found here.
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