National Drug Policy 2007-2012: Part One

National Drug Policy 2007-2012
Part One: Introduction

Table of contents:

Foreword

Part One: Introduction

Part Two: The Next Five Years

Appendices

Abbreviations

References and Bibliography

1. Context for the National Drug Policy

In this section:

1.1 Legislative and strategic context
1.2 Overarching goal
1.3 Objectives
1.4 Principles
1.5 International commitment
1.6 Recent achievements
1.7 Definitions

1.1 Legislative and strategic context

The National Drug Policy 2007-2012 builds on the first National Drug Policy 1993-2003 (Ministry of Health 1998). It sets out the Government’s policy for tobacco, alcohol, illegal and other drugs within a single framework. It does this by establishing the goals, objectives and principles that will guide drug policy and intersectoral decision-making about the best way to address the harms caused by drug use, and identifies the population groups that require special attention.

The Government has identified three strategic themes economic transformation, families – young and old, and national identity which collectively provide the context for the implementation of this policy. A feature of these three themes is an integrated and co-ordinated whole-of-government or intersectoral approach to strategic issues.

The National Drug Policy will help central and local government agencies and non-government organisations (NGOs) to develop work programmes and action plans that fit into a national direction. Having a strong intersectoral focus brings together health, justice, enforcement, social development and education agencies that are working towards the common goal of preventing and reducing the health, social and economic harms that are linked to tobacco, alcohol and other drug use.

The National Drug Policy aims to reduce the effects of harmful substance use through a balance of measures that:

Control or limit the availability of drugs (supply control)
Limit the use of drugs by individuals, including abstinence (demand reduction)
Reduce harm from existing drug use (problem limitation).

The National Drug Policy recognises that there is a continuum of harm associated with drug use and that there is no single approach or strategy that can, on its own, address the problems. Instead, a range of strategies is needed. This will require the development of specific strategies that are responsive and culturally appropriate in addressing the needs of Māori, Pacific peoples and young people, given the over-representation of these groups in many drug-related problems.

Following are a number of strategies that operate under the general auspices of the National Drug Policy that reflect input from various sectors.

The Crime Reduction Strategy, (Ministry of Justice, 2002) targets organised crime, which includes the production, distribution and supply of illegal drugs.
Safer Communities: Action plan to reduce community violence and sexual violence, (Ministry of Justice, 2004) identifies alcohol-related violence as a major priority.
Te Tāhuhu – Improving Mental Health 2005–2015: The second New Zealand Mental Health and Addiction Plan (Minister of Health, 2005) aims, among other things, to improve addiction services and the management of addiction and co-existing mental health problems.
Health and Physical Education in the New Zealand Curriculum (Ministry of Education, 1999) requires schools to provide students with opportunities to learn to make informed, health-enhancing decisions about drugs.
Strategy to Reduce Drug and Alcohol Use by Offenders 2005–2008, (Department of Corrections, 2004) has a specific strategy to minimise harm related to drug use by offenders.
Youth Health: A guide to action, (Ministry of Health and Ministry of Youth Affairs, 2002) identifies tobacco, alcohol and other drugs as specific health risks for young people.
The New Zealand Police Alcohol Action Plan (New Zealand Police, 2006) aims to improve the Police’s ability to prevent and reduce alcohol-related harm.

1.2 Overarching goal

The overarching goal of the National Drug Policy is to prevent and reduce the health, social and economic harms that are linked to tobacco, alcohol, illegal and other drug use.

1.3 Objectives

The following objectives have been identified for the second National Drug Policy to achieve the overarching goal:

To prevent or delay the uptake of tobacco, alcohol, illegal and other drug use, particularly in Māori, Pacific peoples and young people
To reduce the harm caused by tobacco by reducing the prevalence of tobacco smoking, consumption of tobacco products and exposure to second-hand smoke
To reduce harm to individuals, families and communities from the risky consumption of alcohol
To prevent or reduce the supply and use of illegal drugs and other harmful drug use
To make families and communities safer by reducing the irresponsible and unlawful use of drugs
To reduce the cost of drug misuse to individuals, society and government.

Government agencies will incorporate these objectives into the planning and prioritising of their drug policy work.

1.4 Principles

1.4.1 Harm minimisation

Drug policy in New Zealand is based on the principle of harm minimisation. The aim of harm minimisation is to improve social, economic and health outcomes for the individual, the community and the population at large.

A harm minimisation approach does not condone harmful or illegal drug use. The most effective way to minimise harm from drugs is not to use them. The harm minimisation approach does recognise that where eliminating high-risk behaviours is not possible, it remains important to minimise the personal, social and economic costs associated with those behaviours. Harm minimisation encompasses a wide range of approaches, including abstinence-oriented strategies and initiatives for people who use drugs. It also considers the impact of the illegal status of some drugs on the people who use them.

Strategies that support harm minimisation can be divided into three groups or ‘pillars’:

Supply control
Demand reduction
Problem limitation.

All three pillars will be used in various combinations.

Supply control
Supply control aims to prevent or reduce harm by restricting the availability of drugs. For legal drugs this will involve restricting the circumstances in which they can be sold, supplied or consumed. For illegal drugs, supply control activities will focus on controlling New Zealand’s borders to prevent drugs being imported into the country and shutting down domestic drug cultivation, manufacturing, trafficking and selling operations.

Demand reduction
Demand reduction involves a wide range of activities that aim to reduce individuals’ desire to use drugs. The focus for demand reduction is on initiatives that aim to delay or prevent uptake, encourage drug-free lifestyles or create awareness of the risks involved with drug use.

Problem limitation
Problem limitation seeks to reduce harm from drug use that is already occurring. This group of activities includes emergency services and treatment for problematic drug use and dependence. Some problem limitation interventions do not seek to eliminate or reduce drug use in the short to medium term, but instead aim to reduce the related harm to the individual and community.

1.4.2 Evidence-informed policy

Effective drug policy is based on a careful analysis of the most up-to-date information available. Strategies to prevent and reduce drug-related harm will be focused on substances that cause the most harm and, where appropriate, on the population groups that experience the highest levels of harm. Interventions will reflect practices that are informed by rigorous research, critical evaluation, professional expertise, and the needs and preferences of the community.

The evidence base for the underlying determinants of drug use and effective interventions will be continually built up, and where there is no robust information about the extent of the harm or where evidence is lacking about effective interventions, further research or evaluation programmes will be undertaken.

1.4.3 Whole-of-government approach

Work on drug policy needs a whole-of-government approach. The structures that support this are the Ministerial Committee on Drug Policy (MCDP) and the Inter-Agency Committee on Drugs (IACD). The membership and functions of these committees are set out in Appendix 1.

The whole-of-government principle is embodied in the multi-agency composition of the IACD and MCDP. All government agencies are committed to, and aware of, the work of these inter-agency groups and value the importance of participation in them. This allows agencies to know about each other’s work, to plan and work together, and to set collective strategic directions. Agencies will also collaborate in specific areas to address drug issues. For example, the National Drug Intelligence Bureau (NDIB) is a jointly operated agency comprising police, customs and health officials focused on obtaining information about trends in illegal drugs.

A whole-of-government approach fits with the Government’s approach to social policy as a whole. Reducing tobacco, alcohol and other drug abuse has been one of the five critical social issues identified by the Government in 2004 for interagency action in Opportunity for All New Zealanders.

Drug abuse is a causal or risk factor for many of the important social and economic issues identified under the Government’s priority themes of economic transformation, families  young and old, and national identity.

1.4.4 Partnerships

Drug problems will not be solved by government alone. A wide range of individuals, communities, employers, industry, local and voluntary groups, service providers, and other NGOs are stakeholders in the effective development of drug policy. Government agencies will consult and work with these stakeholders to ensure they are able to contribute meaningfully and constructively to the drug policy development process. The IACD will develop mechanisms to ensure that formalised processes are developed to achieve a collaborative and engaged approach to strategic working groups and the development of action plans, including innovative ways to address drug issues.

1.4.5 Reducing inequalities

The Government aims to reduce disadvantage and promote equality of opportunity in order to achieve a similar distribution of outcomes across different groups, and a more equitable distribution of overall outcomes within society. This means both:

Achieving a minimum level of wellbeing for all people, and
Ensuring a more equitable distribution of the determinants of wellbeing across society.

There are important socioeconomic, gender and geographical inequalities in New Zealand. Family background, ethnicity or disability should not be major determinants of an individual’s life chances.

In New Zealand, ethnic identity is related to health and wellbeing outcomes. The health status of Māori and of Pacific peoples is demonstrably poorer than that of other New Zealanders. Addressing these socioeconomic, ethnic, gender and geographic inequalities requires a whole of government approach that takes account of all the influences on health and wellbeing and how they can be tackled. Action to reduce inequalities in health has the potential to improve the health of all New Zealanders (Ministry of Health, 2002).

It is a priority to reduce these inequalities by improving the availability of, and access to, drug prevention and treatment services for Māori, Pacific peoples and young people because these groups experience the highest levels of drug related harm. Service planning needs to incorporate, within the whole of population approach, specific targeted strategies which take into account the social and cultural context of Māori, Pacific peoples and young people, and feature a suite of actions that will lead to reductions in the inequalities of health outcomes for these groups.

Because of the intersectoral and whole-of-government approach the policy takes, government agencies, community groups and NGOs will have different strategic frameworks and responses underpinning their work with Māori and Pacific peoples to address health inequalities and responsiveness issues; for example, Te Rito: New Zealand Family Violence Prevention Strategy (Minister of Social Services and Employment 2002).

He Korowai Oranga: Māori Health Strategy (Minister of Health and Associate Minister of Health 2002) provides guidance to the health sector on ways to achieve Māori health improvements. He Korowai Oranga has an overarching aim of whanau ora: Māori families supported to achieve their maximum health and wellbeing. The range of approaches and interventions need to be accessible, effective and culturally appropriate. The aim is to improve overall health outcomes and reduce disparities among groups at greater risk.

1.5 International commitment

New Zealand is a party to three United Nations conventions:

Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs 1961, as amended by the 1972 Protocol
Convention on Psychotropic Substances 1971
Convention against the Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances 1988.

The first two of these conventions establish international control measures to ensure the availability of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances for medical and scientific purposes and to prevent diversion into illicit channels. The third convention requires the New Zealand Government to co operate with international measures to prevent drug trafficking. Ratification of these conventions imposes certain requirements on New Zealand to ensure that drugs are appropriately scheduled within domestic drug control legislation.

New Zealand contributes to the United Nations International Drug Control Programme and participates in the annual meetings of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND). The purpose of the CND is to analyse the world drug situation and develop proposals to strengthen the international drug control system.

At the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on the World Drug Problem in 1998, commitments were made to address illegal drug cultivation and manufacture, and the diverting of precursor chemicals, and to reduce drug demand. New Zealand, along with other countries, will report on progress towards these commitments in 2008.

New Zealand has also ratified the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. This Convention sets out minimum standards parties must observe on such matters as price measures, tobacco advertising, sponsorship and promotion, packaging and labelling of products, and protection from exposure to tobacco smoke.

Currently, there are no international conventions relating to alcohol control. However, the New Zealand Government participates in regional and global World Health Organization activities related to public health problems caused by alcohol.

New Zealand is also a party to the World Anti-Doping Code, which provides for international uniformity in anti-doping regulatory regimes. It includes provisions on prohibited substances, testing, laboratory procedures and sanctions.

1.6 Recent achievements

A number of important advances in preventing and reducing drug-related harm were made over the life of the first National Drug Policy. Following are some examples of recent achievements.

The Smoke-free Environments Amendment Act 2003 placed further restrictions on smoking in workplaces by banning tobacco smoking from all indoor workplaces, including restaurants and bars. The aim of reducing exposure to second-hand smoke in indoor workplaces has been achieved, and the measure is strongly supported by the public.
Fifteen new Community Action on Youth and Drugs (CAYAD) programmes were established throughout New Zealand in 2004 by the Ministry of Health. CAYADs involve partnership with communities and aim to address the harm from drugs experienced by young people. These programmes operate by increasing informed debate on drug issues, promoting safe behaviours, identifying or developing best practice programmes for school and student needs, and forging alliances among community organisations.

The Effective Drug Education project commenced in 2002 and has been led by the Ministry of Youth Development. The project aims to identify best practice for alcohol and drug education for young people, families and communities that not only raises awareness but also results in sustained behavioural change. A literature review and analysis was undertaken and two booklets, both titled Strengthening Drug Education in School Communities, were produced in 2004 containing principles of best practice for the design, delivery and evaluation of school-based drug education.

The Alcohol Advisory Council (ALAC) developed a large-scale social marketing campaign with the goal of changing the culture of drinking in New Zealand. The campaign is intended to run for at least five years, and is targeted at all adult New Zealanders, with the aim of encouraging people to take greater responsibility for their drinking.

1.7 Definitions

1.7.1 Drugs

Reference to ‘drugs’ in this policy is intended to cover a broad base of substances with psychoactive effects. These substances are divided into four categories: tobacco, alcohol, illegal drugs, and other drugs. Tobacco and alcohol are self-explanatory. ‘Illegal drugs’ are those that are classified as controlled drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975, including some pharmaceuticals that can be used for psychoactive purposes. ‘Other drugs’ include medicines that are diverted from their legitimate purpose, restricted substances listed in the Misuse of Drugs Act, and products (eg, volatile substances) that are manufactured and marketed for domestic or industrial purposes but are capable of being used to achieve a psychoactive effect.

1.7.2 Drug-related harm

Drug use can harm virtually every aspect of people’s lives. Harms to health include death, illness, disease, mental health problems and injury. Harms may be chronic, such as depression or heart disease, or acute, such as injuries from falls or traffic crashes.

Social harms are also associated with drug use. These include interpersonal violence, family and relationship breakdowns, and child neglect. In addition, the use of illegal drugs inherently involves individuals in criminal activity. Of particular concern are situations where users commit property crime or supply illegal drugs to support their habit.
Economic harms include the costs to health services, property damage, low productivity and work absenteeism.

As well as affecting the individual user, drug use harms the family and the community in which the individual lives. For example, alcohol may be associated with domestic violence, and injecting drug use may result in blood-borne viruses spreading in the community as a whole.

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