Notice Type
Departmental
Notice Title

Notice of Appointment of Drug and Substance Checking Service Providers

Pursuant to section 35DA of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975, I, Dr Ashley Bloomfield, Director-General of Health, hereby appoint the New Zealand Needle Exchange Programme (NZNEP), as a drug and substance checking service provider for the purposes of sections 35DA to 35DI of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 (“Act”).

Date of Appointment

The date of this appointment will be effective from 12 November 2021.

Terms and Conditions

This appointment is subject to the following terms and conditions:

  1. The drug and substance checking service provider must ensure that any drugs and/or substances that are surrendered to them in the course of performing their functions under section 35DB of the Act are, as soon as reasonably practicable:
    1. Destroyed; or
    2. delivered into the possession of the Police; or
    3. delivered into the possession of an approved laboratory.
  2. The drug and substance checking service provider must follow best practice harm prevention messaging in the course of performing their functions under section 35DB of the Act.
  3. The drug and substance checking service provider will provide every employee or volunteer delivering their services with appropriate training to enable the functions in section 35DB of the Misuse of Drugs Act to be performed.
  4. The drug and substance checking service provider will display a copy of this Notice of Appointment at all places where they are performing their functions.
  5. The drug and substance checking service provider will not use reagent testing as the sole means of testing any drug sample in the course of performing their functions under section 35DB of the Act, with the exception of fentanyl and any other drug or substance as specified in writing by the Director-General of Health.

Dated this 12th day of November 2021.

Dr ASHLEY BLOOMFIELD, Director-General of Health.