Aotearoa Patients Group

09/07/2025

Despite awareness of the potential health benefits of psilocybin, new figures show that criminal charges related to the drug are increasing.

07/07/2025

Hi friends, welcome to Mythbuster Monday! Our new feature where we look at pernicious myths about drugs and check them for solid evidence🧐

This month we're looking at Gateway Drugs [TM].

You’ve probably heard the claim: that drug use follows a set path from relatively low-risk to high-risk substances.

According to the myth, people generally start with alcohol or ni****ne, then move on to cannabis, then to riskier drugs like co***ne or he**in, which allegedly lead to addiction, poverty, general chaos, and ⚰.

That idea is the Gateway Drug Hypothesis, introduced by researchers in the 1970s who observed a pattern: many people who tried other drugs had used cannabis first.

BUT

Just because two things happen in sequence doesn’t mean one causes the other. Most people who use cannabis never go on to use other illicit drugs. Even the original researchers warned that correlation does not imply causation.

But policymakers embraced the myth. They liked it because it was simple, emotionally powerful, and fit perfectly with the War on Drugs narrative. School programmes like D.A.R.E. spread it, using fear tactics to claim cannabis use would lead to addiction.

That message isn’t just factually incorrect. It continues to cause real harm, especially to young people and marginalised communities 😒🤬

Next week, we’ll look at what the research actually says about drug use patterns and why this myth keeps hanging on.

01/08/2022

We are seeking patients who have experienced depression to form a panel for our upcoming clinical trial investigating microdoses of L*D for treating depression. We are particularly looking for Māori representation in this discussion. Join us for an initial information session next Tuesday 9 August in person or via Zoom: https://auckland.zoom.us/j/95357362311. You may need to copy this link into a browser to get it to work properly.

EDIT: We have once again unfortunately had to turn commenting off as we have had several people try and advertise illegal products in the comments. Please do not do this as you will be banned from our page. If you have any specific questions about the trial email deptrial@auckland.ac.nz, or come along tonight to our information evening about the participant panel.

31/07/2022

29/07/2022

A city on the forefront of harm reduction has taken the concept to a new level in an effort to address the growing toxicity of street drugs.

29/07/2022

You’re invited to join Dr Bo Hendgen as she shares her knowledge on natural health and skin care every month, with a series of 9 webinars covering a broad range of topics. It’s free, or you can make a donation when you book your place. Book and donate through Humanitix and 50% of the proceeds wi...

28/07/2022

This week at BIOL803-Introduction to medicinal cannabis course at AUT, we streamed an online interview with Josiah Spackman of Skyman Industries in their gro...

27/07/2022

This week in BIOL803, we talk about the adult use of cannabis in New Zealand. We discuss the social and health issues with our current legislation and set ou...

25/07/2022

The Cali Soft Case® has been thoughtfully designed to fulfill every storage need. It is weather resistant and the pouch is lined with activated carbon to make it 100% odour proof. Each case has removable Velcro dividers and mesh pockets, allowing you to customize how you store your equipment.
Order yours now from www.medivape.co.nz for delivery in 2-3 business days anywhere in NZ