The destigmatisation of people with lived experience of methamphetamine use in Aotearoa-New Zealand : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (by thesis) in Psychology at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand

Abstract

Whilst only 1.1% of the total population use methamphetamine (or meth), a recent Aotearoa New Zealand (ANZ) drug harm ranking study placed methamphetamine second only to alcohol, with estimated societal (personal plus community) harm costs of $8 65 million (Crossin et al., 2023; Mercier, 2024). Significant stigma surrounds meth and people who use meth (PWUM) (Yasbek et al., 2022). Such stigma is multifaceted involving structural, public, associative and self-stigma. Through exploring the perceptions about meth and PWUM, of both the public and subject matter experts, this research project seeks to clarify approaches to destigmatise PWUM in ANZ, ultimately aiming to improve outcomes for those experiencing methamphetamine use disorder (MUD). Accordingly, thirty public and expert participants took part in focus groups and semi structured interviews, with Reflexive Thematic Analysis being used to analyse the transcripts produced. The inclusion of public and expert participants allowed for a comparison of the views of these two groups, highlighting obvious misinformation and potential campaign pitfalls. Seven key themes were produced, namely: the deleterious effects of meth use; the perceived ‘moral failing’ of substance use; the legal versus illegal divide; the portrayal of meth as a ‘bottom-rung’ drug; the courage of recovery; the generation gap and, finally, the systemic shortcomings in treatment. The research subsequently draws upon academic literature, interview analysis and international models of destigmatisation, applied to ANZ’s unique sociopolitical landscape, to suggest pathways for destigmatisation, the aim being to reframe meth use as a health rather than a criminal justice issue. Through policy change, media reform and education, destigmatisation can shift public perception, reduce harm and create recovery pathways not dependent on punitive measures. As will be argued, when the largest driver of stigma, structural stigma, is dismantled through policy reform, public, associative and self-stigma follow. By confronting the biases that fuel stigma, ANZ can move toward a more humane, effective and evidence-based approach to drug use and addiction.