Changes in National Drug Policy in New Zealand

This paper discusses about the changes in the National Drug policy that has taken place in 2015 in New Zealand. The new policy aims to reduce the harmful drinking and not the total reduction of the consumption, modifications of the behaviour and not on the regulation of the supply side.

Running head: HEALTH STUDY
Health Study
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Policy change
This paper discusses about the changes in the National Drug policy that has taken
place in 2015.
Rationale behind the change
The main rationale behind the introduction of changes in the National drug policy is
that there had been a high rate of illicit drug consumption within the New Zealand
communities. The New Zealand Drug harm index has assessed that the total charge of the
illicit drug associated harms in the year 2013-2014 had been about $1.5 billion and the
Ministry had spent about the $79 million on the interventions (Ministry of Health., 2018).
Furthermore the current drug control strategies are posing an opposite effect on the youths.
Due to the continuity of the failure in the year for the drugs, the government had decided to
review the National drug policy to reduce the risk of harm (NZ drug foundation, 2018).
Aim of the new policy
The new National drug policy aims to reduce the harmful drinking and the not the
total reduction of the consumption, modifications of the behaviour and not on the regulation
of the supply side. Unlike the previous policy, the changes focuses on the usability and
relevance across the public sectors such that the existing harm minimisation can be modified
or improved and perfectly integrated. In relation to the alcohol consumption, it can be said
that in spite of a pre-existing National drug policy, there were instances of risky drinking. But
the New policy would encourage moderate drinking as alcohol accounts for a large amount of
revenue in the New Zealand economy (Ministry of Health., 2018).

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New objectives
 Delaying the uptake of the Alcohol and other drugs (AOD) by the young people.
 Plummeting the disease and avoidable due to AOD.
 Decreasing the perilous drinking of the alcohol
 Shifting the perception in the direction of AOD (NZ drug foundation, 2018). .
Some of the main priority areas that had to be taken care off are-
Generating a person centred intervention scheme, shifting the philosophy and the
behaviour, attainment of correct legal balance, disruption of the organised wrongdoing,
refining the flow of the information (NZ drug foundation, 2018)..
Improved health outcome to the family
Drug related health problems are common among the adolescents and the most
important reason for the drug abuse among the adolescents are due to the easy access to the
alcohol and drugs (Boden et al., 2018). Hence this change in policy might be helpful for my
family in case such drug abuses occurs in my family. This kind of policies will reduce the
chance of occurrence of illicit drug abuse in the family. The interventions related to this
would also help to decrease the range of the social and the environmental factors responsible
for illicit drugs and the alcohol abuse (Fry, Fry & Castanelli, 2015).
Example of an organisation
Although there had been no cases of alcohol or drug abuse in my family, an important
organisation that can be accessed to seek help related to alcohol or drug abuse is AL-ANON
ALATEEN AND ADULT CHILDREN that offers hope and support to those affected by

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drinking. Daily meetings, one-on-one sponsorship and telephone support are provided (AL-
ANON ALATEEN AND ADULT CHILDREN, 2018).

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References
AL-ANON ALATEEN AND ADULT CHILDREN.Access date: 3.11.2018. Retrieved from:
http://mherc.org.nz/directory/all-listings-alphabetical/al-anon-alateen-and-adult-
children
Boden, J. M., Fergusson, D. M., & Horwood, L. J. (2012). Alcohol misuse and violent
behavior: findings from a 30-year longitudinal study. Drug and alcohol dependence,
122(1-2), 135-141.
Fry, R. A., Fry, L. E., & Castanelli, D. J. (2015). A retrospective survey of substance abuse in
anaesthetists in Australia and New Zealand from 2004 to 2013. Anaesthesia and
intensive care, 43(1), 111.
Ministry of Health., (2018). National Drug Policy. 2015 to 2020. Access date: 3.11.2018.
Retrieved from:
https://www.health.govt.nz/system/files/documents/publications/national-drug-policy-
2015-2020-aug15.pdf
NZ drug foundation., (2018) .Drug use in NZ..Access date: 3.11.2018. Retrieved
from:https://www.drugfoundation.org.nz/policy-and-advocacy/drugs-in-nz/
SearchFormAjax?Search=drug%20use%20statistics

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