This is a guest blog post by our friends at DISC Trust – licenced drug checking providers and part of the NZ Needle Exchange Programme

If you or someone you know takes methamphetamine (MA), this post covers what you need to know about current risks in the MA supply, and gives some advice on how to stay safer.

Changes in the drug supply have increased the risks associated with methamphetamine consumption

Methamphetamine substitutes have become significantly more toxic and harmful in recent months. From what DISC Trust has seen in our drug checking clinics, MA is being increasingly substituted with corrosive industrial chemicals like cyclohexanamines and isopropylbenzylamine(n-iso).

We’ve seen both complete substitutions – i.e. just the chemical and no MA, or partial substitution – with the chemical mixed in with MA. Sometimes this has been just a tiny amount of MA – just enough to fool a colour reagent test, but not enough to have any effect if taken. It’s very hard to tell the difference between these substitutes and MA by looking at them – drug checking is the only way to be sure what you have.

These chemicals have no psychoactive effects – they won’t get you high. They all could have harmful effects – how harmful can depend on how they are consumed and at what dose.

• Cyclohexanamines can cause severe physical damage, including burns to the mouth, throat, lungs, skin, muscles and veins.
• N-iso can cause drowsiness, dizziness, bodily discomfort (aches and pains), digestive issues (feeling gassy/bloated), depressive feelings, anxiety and skin issues such as rashes and pimples.

When these chemicals are injected intravenously, people have reported intense burning sensations as well as soreness at the site of injection.

MA consistency has decreased in both Ōtautahi Christchurch and Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington. However, Ōtautahi Christchurch has seen much more dramatically harmful substitutes.

What our data show about the methamphetamine supply

From what we’ve seen coming through drug checking services, the MA supply has worsened significantly since August 2024, especially in the Ōtautahi Christchurch region.

In drug checking, the substance people think they have is known as the ‘presumed substance’ (e.g. presumed MA). We then record whether a sample is consistent with presumed or not.

In each three month period from December 2023 to August 2024, we saw an increase in the proportion of presumed MA samples brought into our clinics that were consistent with MA. More recently, instead of trending up, consistency dropped in the September-November period as low as 72% (Ōtautahi Christchurch) and 76% (Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington).

These trends are different to those we’ve seen for MDMA. Throughout 2024, the proportion of samples brought into DISC drug checking clinics that people thought were MDMA, that were confirmed as MDMA, has consistently increased across all our clinics, from Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington to Ōtepoti Dunedin.

We’re not saying the MDMA supply is safe – contamination and substitution will continue to be a risk until we have safe supply in Aotearoa – and you should definitely still go and get your stuff checked.

What we need to make clear is that the overall trends for drugs in Aotearoa this summer, and MDMA in particular, don’t tell the story of what is going on with our MA.

Methamphetamine is taken in higher quantities than other drugs, but is brought into drug checking services less often

We know from wastewater testing data that more MA than MDMA is consumed in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington and Ōtautahi Christchurch, but we see a much smaller proportion of MA samples for checking at our drug checking clinics than MDMA samples.

In both Ōtautahi Christchurch and Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington, MA makes up 50% of wastewater testing data but only 17% of drug checking samples. By comparison, MDMA makes up around 40% of wastewater testing and 68% of drug checking samples in Pōneke Wellington and 74% in Ōtautahi Christchurch.

Greater risks and greater unknowns mean greater potential for harm to people who take methamphetamine

Because of the increase in harmful substitutes and low levels of MA samples being checked before they are consumed, people who take MA are especially at risk at the moment. This is especially so in Ōtautahi Christchurch as we are seeing harmful substitutes like cyclohexanamines more often in this region. 

These substitutes can cause acute or ongoing harms, which are likely to be worse with increased exposure. Substitutions also pose financial, social and interpersonal risks for people using MA due to poorer quality products and unmet needs.

Wherever you are in Aotearoa, and especially if you’re in Ōtautahi Christchurch, please come and get your MA checked to find out whether what you’re taking is what you think it is. Drug checking is a vital tool for harm reduction. Substitutes in the MA supply can cause serious harm, and the only way to know what you’re taking is to get it checked. 

Drug checking services are free, legal, confidential and non-judgmental. You can find details of drug checking clinics across the country using the ‘Find Clinic’ button on our homepage. 

No one deserves to face preventable harm. Wherever you are in Aotearoa, taking steps to ensure your safety is essential. Let’s work together to reduce harm and protect our communities.

Key takeaways:

• MA consistency has decreased significantly in both Ōtautahi Christchurch and  Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington in the last few months.
• MA substitutes have become significantly more toxic and harmful – including isopropylbenzylamine (n-iso) and cyclohexanamines
• Isopropylbenzylamine (n-iso) and cyclohexanamines are toxic to consume and especially to inject. They have no psychoactive effects or drug-like benefits, but they can cause significant harm – especially cyclohexanamines.
• It’s very hard to tell the difference between these substitutes and MA by looking at them – drug checking is the only way to be sure what you have.
• The consistency of MDMA supply has been improving, while consistency of MA supply has been getting significantly worse.
• The decline in MA quality and increase in harmful substitutes makes it more important than ever to check that what you’re taking is what you think it is.
• If you’re using MA, especially in Ōtautahi Christchurch, check your drugs before taking them. It could save you from serious harm.

Tips to reduce harm:

• Use drug-checking services: they’re free, confidential, anonymous and run by peers – so there’s no stigma and no judgement. Find details here: Drug checking clinics – The Level
• Check if your substance is acting unusually: if it burns strangely, doesn’t crystallize as it should, smells unusual or there is any unusual colour to the smoke, it might not be what you think it is.
• Don’t trust a reagent test alone: some of the samples we’ve seen have had a tiny amount of MA – just enough to fool a colour reagent test, but not enough to have any effect if taken.
• If you are unable to get your drugs checked: try smoking a bit first before you inject to see if it tastes or smells odd or feels like it burns. These chemicals are toxic to inhale, so this is a last resort – but less harmful than injecting.
• Spread the word: Share this information with your community to protect others.
• Stay informed: Follow updates on drug safety and quality trends to minimise risks to yourself and your community.