10 signatures reached
To: The House of Representatives
Launch an Independent Regulatory Review of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975
We ask that the House of Representatives urge the Minister for Regulation to initiate a full, independent regulatory review of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 and its associated legislative and regulatory framework, to determine whether it remains fit-for-purpose, aligned with modern regulatory principles, and capable of achieving proportionate, evidence-based outcomes.
Why is this important?
In 2025, marking the 50th anniversary of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975, this petition calls for a thorough, independent review to ensure our laws reflect current scientific understanding, public health knowledge, and societal needs.
We envision a future where drug laws in Aotearoa New Zealand are grounded in compassion, equity, and evidence — where the focus is on harm reduction, not punishment. A future where vulnerable communities, including Māori and Pasifika, are no longer disproportionately criminalised but are supported through culturally informed health and social services. Where young people are protected through education, not incarceration.
Under modernised laws, addiction is treated as a health issue, not a criminal one; police resources are redirected toward serious harm; and whānau receive the support they need to thrive. Regulation, when properly designed, provides pathways to reduce stigma, prevent harm, and restore dignity.
This review is an opportunity to reset our approach to drugs — from outdated fear-based policies to a future of resilience, wellbeing, and evidence-based care.
The Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 (MODA) was introduced during a global era of drug prohibition and punitive enforcement. Now half a century old, the Act has become increasingly disconnected from current public health approaches, regulatory best practice, and real-world outcomes. It remains largely unchanged despite significant developments in science, law, medicine, public policy, and international evidence on drug use and its regulation.
The Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 (MODA) was introduced during a global era of drug prohibition and punitive enforcement. Now half a century old, the Act has become increasingly disconnected from current public health approaches, regulatory best practice, and real-world outcomes. It remains largely unchanged despite significant developments in science, law, medicine, public policy, and international evidence on drug use and its regulation.
Numerous government reviews, independent research reports, and international precedents highlight that MODA is:
- Inefficient — relying heavily on enforcement and criminal penalties while failing to reduce drug-related harm or use;
- Outdated — lacking flexibility, responsiveness, and modern regulatory design principles;
- Inconsistent — conflicting with contemporary health and social policies and creating uncertainty for professionals and the public;
- Costly — placing unnecessary burdens on law enforcement, courts, health systems, and social services without proportional benefit.
A regulatory framework should serve clear, evidence-based objectives, and be regularly reviewed to ensure it continues to meet those objectives. The Ministry for Regulation was established to identify and modernise such outdated frameworks, and to assess whether regulatory regimes are functioning as intended.
This petition calls for a review through that regulatory lens — not to rehash moral or criminal debates about drug use, but to examine whether MODA is an efficient, effective, and coherent piece of legislation fit for New Zealand in 2025.
🔍 What the review should address:
We request that the Minister for Regulation lead an independent review that:
- Assesses the performance of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 in achieving its regulatory goals, including reduction of drug harm, protection of public health and safety, and efficient use of public resources;
- Evaluates the Act's regulatory fitness in relation to modern standards of regulatory stewardship — including flexibility, clarity, proportionality, and coherence with related legal frameworks;
- Examines alternatives to the current prohibition-based model, including health- and harm-reduction-based approaches, civil regulation of lower-risk substances, or models focused on treatment and education;
- Considers the administrative, social, and economic costs of the current regime compared with those of alternative regulatory models used internationally;
- Recommends options for legislative reform consistent with principles of good regulatory practice, public sector efficiency, and evidence-based policymaking.
🧭 Why this matters:
Regulatory systems should not remain static for 50 years — especially when clear evidence shows they cause unintended harm, fail to meet policy goals, and impose unjustified costs on society.
The current drug law is no longer fit for purpose. It is inefficient, inconsistent, and misaligned with current science, social expectations, and the real-world challenges of drug use in our communities.
A fresh, regulatory-first review offers a non-partisan, principled way forward — based on evidence, efficiency, and the public interest.
✅ What this petition does NOT call for:
- This is not a call to legalise any specific drug or endorse any particular model of reform;
- It does not propose a health or criminal justice policy, but instead focuses on regulatory quality, efficiency, and effectiveness — the remit of the Minister for Regulation.
📢 Join us:
Sign this petition to support a modern, evidence-informed review of one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s oldest and most outdated regulatory frameworks. Let’s ensure the laws we use to govern drug-related risks are rational, efficient, proportionate, and fit for the 21st century.