Survey Explores Student Drug Use, Experiences, and Attitudes at Te Herenga Waka

CW: Drug use, overdose, drug-related harm

Survey Explores Student Drug Use, Experiences, and Attitudes at Te Herenga Waka

CW: Drug use, overdose, drug-related harm

Salient surveyed students to better understand how drugs are actually being used at Te Herenga Waka—and what that means for safety, harm, and support. This article covers everything from patterns of use and frequency, to harm, dependence, overdose, and access to drug checking, but one theme runs through it all. Students are not saying drugs are harmless. They are saying harm is shaped—and often worsened—by a lack of information. 

As one respondent put it, “if you do use drugs, be mindful. Think about your limits, what risks you are taking, and how your choices might affect both yourself and those around you.” Another wrote, “I think people should be allowed and encouraged to do what they wish… provided they aren't knowingly stepping on someone else's safety. To that end… you owe it to yourself and others to know what it is you're getting into.” The message is consistent: students are already navigating these environments—what they are asking for is the knowledge to do so more safely.

About Our Respondents

We distributed a survey to students to better understand patterns of drug use and wellbeing across Te Herenga Waka. The results provide a snapshot rather than a definitive picture: responses come from a relatively small sample of students out of more than 20,000 enrolled at Te Herenga Waka, and are likely skewed toward those who read and engage with Salient. That said, this is also the audience most likely to be reading this reporting.

The sample skewed female (55%), with men making up 28% and non-binary and gender diverse students 14%. Most participants were in the early years of their degree, with first- and second-year students comprising over half of respondents, while relatively few were in postgraduate or later-year study. The cohort was almost entirely domestic (96%), with very limited international representation.

Substance Use

Alcohol is near-universal, with around 95% of respondents reporting use in the past year. After that, there is a sharp drop: nicotine sits at just over 60%, while all other substances are used by a much smaller proportion of students. Among these, MDMA is the most common (27%), followed by ketamine (11%), LSD/psychedelics (8%), cocaine (8%), and magic mushrooms (7%).

There are some differences across groups. Women report the highest alcohol use (98%), slightly above men (94%) and gender diverse students (90%). Nicotine use is also highest among women (69%). Men are more likely to report use of most other substances, including MDMA, LSD, and ketamine, with rates consistently higher than both women and gender diverse respondents.

The living situation shows a more pronounced divide. Students in flats report the highest use across almost every substance category, including nicotine (70%) and party drugs like MDMA, LSD, and ketamine. Hall's students report lower rates of these substances, particularly psychedelics and ketamine, while students living with family have the lowest nicotine use (27%) and generally lower engagement with most drugs beyond alcohol.

This pattern appears to track closely with years of study. First-year students—who are more likely to be in halls—report lower use of most substances beyond alcohol, particularly psychedelics and ketamine. For example, only around 14% of first-year students report MDMA use, compared to significantly higher rates in later years. LSD (2%) and ketamine (2%) use among first years are both very low, indicating limited engagement with these substances early on.

By contrast, second- and third-year students show a clear increase across nearly all categories. Nicotine use rises from 52% in first year to 63% in second year and 69% in third year, while MDMA use increases from 14% in first year to 23% in second year and jumps sharply to 44% in third year. Similar patterns appear for other substances: LSD use rises from 2% in first year to 9% in second year and 15% in third year, while ketamine increases from 2% to 10% and then to 23% by third year.

The shift suggests that substance use expands significantly after first year, aligning with students moving out of halls and into flats, where increased independence and different social environments appear to shape patterns of use.

Frequency

Frequency data shows a clear divide between routine substances and occasional use. Alcohol dominates as the most regularly used substance, with around 45–50% of respondents reporting drinking weekly and a further 15–20% drinking multiple times a week. Nicotine follows a similar pattern, but more intensely: while fewer students use it overall, around 35–40% of nicotine users report daily use, with many others using it multiple times a week—indicating a more habitual pattern of use.

All other substances sit firmly in the infrequent category. MDMA, LSD, ketamine, and other party drugs are used predominantly “once every few months” or less, with typically 60–75% of users falling into this category. Weekly use is rare, generally below 5% across these substances. This suggests these drugs are tied to specific social events rather than routine behaviour. Even among groups with higher overall use (such as flatting or later-year students), frequency remains low.

Age of first use shows a clear pattern of early introduction for legal substances, and later uptake for illicit drugs, with some variation across gender. Alcohol is typically first used the youngest, with most respondents reporting first use at 16–17, and a significant portion even earlier. Nicotine follows a similar trajectory, with initial use commonly clustered around 16–18, suggesting both substances are often encountered before or at the very start of university.

Across gender, men report slightly earlier initiation overall, particularly for alcohol and nicotine, with a higher proportion indicating use before 16. Women tend to cluster more tightly around 16–18 for first use, while gender diverse respondents show a wider spread, though numbers are smaller.

By contrast, most other drugs are first used after students arrive at university, and here the gender gap narrows. MDMA use is concentrated around ages 18–20 across all groups, though men are slightly more likely to report trying it earlier (at 18) compared to women, who more often report first use at 19–20. The same pattern holds for LSD and ketamine, where first use is rare under 18 but increases sharply from 18 onwards, with men again skewing marginally earlier.

Overall, the data suggests a staged pattern: alcohol and nicotine are introduced earlier—often before university—while other drugs are first encountered in university social environments, with men tending to start slightly earlier, but overall patterns remaining broadly consistent across genders.

Vaping Attitudes

Unlike other substances, where first use clusters around university entry, a large proportion of respondents report first vaping between ages 15–17, indicating uptake often occurs before arriving at university. There is also a smaller but notable group reporting very early exposure (under 15), suggesting vaping is entering students’ lives well before other drugs.

What distinguishes vaping most clearly is continuity. While other substances are typically tried later and used sporadically, vaping shows a much more sustained pattern from first use through to current behaviour. Once picked up, it is far less likely to be confined to specific events or phases. This reinforces the idea that vaping operates differently from other substances in the survey—not as experimental or occasional, but as something that becomes embedded over time.

Dependence/Addiction

Dependence is present, but concentrated in specific groups and substances. While only a minority of respondents (roughly 10–20%) identify as dependent or addicted, those responses cluster most clearly around nicotine, cannabis, and alcohol.

Across demographics, dependence appears to increase with year of study. Second- and third-year students are more likely than first-years to report feeling reliant on a substance, aligning with earlier patterns of increased use over time. There is also a living situation effect: students in flats are more likely to report dependence, particularly on nicotine and cannabis, compared to those in halls or living with family.

Gender differences are more mixed. Men are slightly more likely to report dependence related to alcohol and cannabis, while women are more likely to report dependence on nicotine, reflecting earlier patterns of use. Gender diverse respondents, though a smaller group, show comparatively higher rates of reported dependence overall, particularly where multiple substances are involved.

If any of this feels familiar, support is available. Students can access free, confidential care through Student Health at Te Herenga Waka, or contact Alcohol Drug Helpline Aotearoa (0800 787 797) or free text 1737 (Need to talk?), which provides 24/7 support across Aotearoa.

Harm and Risk

There is a clear living-situation divide here too. Flatting students were far more likely to report negative effects, with 91.9% selecting at least one harm, compared with 74.5% of students in halls and 59.1% of students living with family. That is one of the strongest splits in the whole section. Harm, in other words, appears to rise once students move into less regulated environments.

Year of study tracks this as well. 72.9% of first-years reported at least one negative effect. That rises to 82.4% of second-years and 92.3% of third-years. Harm appears to intensify after first-year, which fits with the broader pattern in the survey: more independence, more flatting, and more use of a wider range of substances.

Among students using one substance or fewer, 48.3% reported negative effects. Among those using 2–3 substances, that jumps to 91.6%. For students using 4 or more substances, it rises again to 97.4%. The same pattern shows up in more serious impacts: academic harm rises from 3.4% among students using one substance or fewer to 35.7% among those using four or more, while mental health decline rises from 13.8% to 54.8%.

This does not mean that all drug use results in serious or lasting harm. The threshold for a “negative effect” in this survey is low—a single hangover is enough to count—and many of the most commonly reported harms fall into that category. But the scale of the response still matters. When over 80% of students report at least one negative effect, and that figure rises to over 90% among flatting and later-year students, it suggests that harm is not isolated or exceptional. What the data shows is not that all use is inherently harmful, but that negative effects are widespread, cumulative, and more likely as use becomes more frequent, varied, and embedded in student life.

Overdose & Exposure

Salient is not a medical authority, but resources like The Level provide clear guidance on recognising and responding to an overdose. Overdoses are most likely when depressant drugs are involved—including opioids, benzodiazepines, and alcohol—and common signs include loss of consciousness, slow or stopped breathing, pale or clammy skin, blue lips or fingertips, and gurgling or snoring sounds. These can become fatal quickly, making early action critical.

If someone may be overdosing, act immediately. The Level advises to call 111, try to rouse the person, and check their breathing. If they are not breathing, begin CPR or rescue breaths. If available, naloxone should be administered, as it can reverse opioid overdoses and will not cause harm if opioids are not involved. If the person starts breathing again, place them in the recovery position and monitor them. If not, continue CPR and repeat naloxone if needed. Stay with the person until help arrives, keeping them calm and reassured.

The Level also outlines ways to reduce the risk of overdose. Risk increases when people take higher doses, mix substances (including alcohol and medications), use alone, or have lower tolerance after a break. Using drugs that are adulterated or not what they are expected to be also raises the risk. To reduce harm, they recommend measuring doses carefully, using drug checking services, avoiding or spacing out mixing substances, and using in the presence of others who can help if something goes wrong. Taking drugs through slower methods (like swallowing rather than smoking or injecting) and adjusting for lower tolerance are also key strategies.

Drug Checking

Access to drug checking in Wellington is relatively accessible, but still largely event-based. KnowYourStuffNZ regularly provides free, anonymous drug checking services at festivals, gigs, and nightlife events, as well as through pop-up clinics in central Wellington. These clinics allow students to have substances tested and receive confidential, non-judgemental advice about contents, risks, and safer use.

You can also access a regular monthly clinic at the Newtown Community Centre, held on the first Saturday of every month from 11.00 a.m. to 2.00 p.m. In addition, free, legal, confidential drug checking is available at the Drugs and Health Development Project (DHDP) headquarters, running Tuesday–Saturday each week (Tue 12–7 p.m.; Wed–Thu 11a.m.–7 p.m.; Fri 12–7 p.m.; Sat 1:15–4:45 p.m., with weekday lunch closure 2–2:30 p.m., and closed on public holidays).

For other locations and updates, students can go on the KnowYourStuffNZ website, which makes it easy to find upcoming clinics in Wellington. The service is legal, free, and does not involve police, making it one of the most accessible harm reduction tools available to students in the city.

Conclusion

Across the survey, the strongest and most consistent piece of feedback was clear: students want universities to do more—not to police drug use, but to educate and destigmatise it. Rather than abstinence-based messaging, respondents repeatedly called for a harm reduction approach, grounded in clear, accessible information about what students are actually doing. As one student put it, “accept that it’s going to happen and approach it from a harm reduction lens.”

A key issue raised was lack of awareness. Many students said they did not know that drug checking is legal, free, and available, with one respondent noting, “many of my friends didn’t even know that you could get drugs tested legally or thought it would cost money. Knowledge is power.” This reflects a broader gap identified throughout the survey: while students are using substances—and often experiencing harm—information about how to do so more safely is not reaching them consistently.

Students also pushed back against one-dimensional messaging. Instead of simply being told drugs are bad, respondents wanted honest, nuanced education—including effects, risks, and real experiences of different substances—so they can make informed decisions. As one response put it, universities should “encourage students to take informed decisions rather than outright saying it’s bad.”

Taken together, the message is not that students are asking universities to endorse drug use, but that current approaches are out of step with reality. Students are already navigating these environments. What they are asking for is better information, earlier and ongoing education, and a shift away from stigma toward education.