Cocaine has become "entrenched" in New Zealand as detections at workplaces continue to increase, according to new research.
The latest state of workplace drug use report from The Drug Detection Agency (TDDA) found that cocaine accounted for 3.2% of positive tests, up 117.7% year-on-year. Auckland's North Shore has emerged as a hotspot.
Cannabis was still responsible for the most positive tests at 68.9% but was down 3% year-on-year. Amphetamine-type stimulants, including methamphetamine, were up 9.4% year-on-year and accounted for 25.4% of positive tests.
TDDA chief executive Glenn Dobson told Breakfast the results showed cocaine had become "more than just a trend" in New Zealand.
"It's entrenched," he said. "There's a lot of cocaine in New Zealand at the moment, and that creates some real safety issues."
He said similar surges were being seen globally, saying New Zealand was "very much on the cartel global market".
"There's a glut of cocaine globally at the moment, and I've said it before: New Zealanders, we like our drugs."
Auckland's North Shore accounted for 11.5% of workplace cocaine detections, which were up 266.1% year on year.
Dobson said the easy answer for what was happening in that region was the "glamour" stereotype that cocaine had.
"The North Shore having that slightly higher socio-economic mix of people there, and that may be the reason.
"Look, the data doesn't tell us why. If we look across Auckland-wide, Auckland certainly has increased cocaine levels, but the North Shore really stands out."
According to the New Zealand Drug Trends Survey released last week, Kiwis were getting through nearly 7 kilograms of cocaine a week in the second quarter of 2026 – a threefold increase from 2017. Researchers attributed cheaper, more readily available cocaine and increased social acceptance as drivers.
"I think that's very dangerous because it's not the safe drug that people think it is – there's a lot of danger still involved in it," Dobson said.
Meth should not be ignored either, Dobson said, with it still "absolutely there".
"It's an awful, insidious drug. It creates a lot of negativity in the community and creates real safety issues.
"But cocaine is certainly the story at the moment, and just how much it's increased over the last year or so."
He believed the rising numbers would not stop in the near future, and encouraged employers to be aware of what was going on.
"It's about being safe in the community, getting safe at home. If drugs are in the workplace, it creates a risk, and that risk can lead to injuries and death.
"They need to be aware of the risks, have good, strong policies, have conversations with your staff, understand the risks, and have testing in place to make sure you manage that risk."
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