The Effect of External Influences on Drug Trends at Music Festivals in New Zealand, 2018 to 2023

Changes in the drug trends seen at music festivals in New Zealand may be influenced by factors, such as the availability of the drugs, enforcement activities, media attention and legislative changes to drug checking services. The Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd (ESR) was involved in testing samples collected from music festivals since 2018. In 2021, drug checking was legalised and ESR has since become an authorised drug checking provider. Samples from music festivals in New Zealand between 2018 and 2023 were analyzed for the presence of controlled drugs. Festivals from before the legalisation of drug checking are compared to festivals after drug checking legalisation. Samples were analyzed using a combination of Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and/or gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A summary of the recent trends in drugs collected from music festivals in New Zealand will be presented, along with some possible explanations of the observed changes. This builds from a previous presentation at the NPS conference in 2021. Media attention and enforcement activities may result in temporary changes to the drug landscape seen at music festivals. Similarly, the COVID-19 pandemic had effects on the importation of many substances due to border closures which has shown to influence the availability of some substances available. A third influence on drug trends at music festivals is legislation regarding drug checking services, their availability and accessibility.