New Medical Journal Research Raises Concerns Over NZ Meth Policy and Children’s Health
- 12 hours ago
- 2 min read
New research published in the New Zealand Medical Journal has raised serious questions about New Zealand’s approach to methamphetamine contamination in homes and whether current policy adequately protects occupants — particularly children.
The peer-reviewed study examined hundreds of residential properties tested both before and after the major change in methamphetamine policy in 2018.
Researchers found that methamphetamine contamination was 51% higher following the policy change.
The study concludes that there has been a significant increase in residential methamphetamine contamination since the threshold for remediation was changed and recommends that the Government revisit its policy and consider substantially lower contamination thresholds.
What about children?
What about children?
Of particular concern is the potential impact on children.
The Medical Journal research highlights the risks of passive exposure to methamphetamine contamination and calls for further research into its health effects.
Babies and young children may be particularly vulnerable because they crawl and play on floors, regularly touch surfaces and frequently put their hands and objects in their mouths.
The findings come at an important time, with New Zealand introducing new regulations that allow significantly higher levels of methamphetamine contamination in rental properties before regulatory intervention is required.
At MethTec, we believe this raises an important question:
When the long-term health effects of passive methamphetamine exposure are still not fully understood, should we be allowing higher levels of contamination to remain in homes where children live?
The research has now attracted mainstream media attention, with the NZ Herald reporting on the study under the headline “Children’s health ‘in peril’.”
The new Medical Journal research provides another important reason for the Government to reconsider whether New Zealand's current methamphetamine contamination policy provides an adequate margin of safety for our most vulnerable occupants.
Read the New Zealand Medical Journal research and NZ Herald coverage below. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/methamphetamine-contamination-in-new-zealand-homes-on-rise-since-2018-policy-change-childrens-health-in-peril/XR7BVV7KKBDDPOPI76VAYEMGM4/
Comments