Cocaine detection in New Zealand workplaces has surged by over 118% year-on-year, accounting for 3.2% of positive drug tests in the three months to October 2026. Drug testing agency data reveals the drug has become entrenched across the country, with Auckland’s North Shore emerging as a significant regional hotspot.
Workplace drug screening across New Zealand reveals a striking shift in consumption habits, driven by increased global supply and changing domestic attitudes. While cannabis remains responsible for the largest share of positive tests at 68.9% (though down 3% year-on-year), and amphetamine-type stimulants including methamphetamine account for 25.4% (up 9.4% year-on-year), cocaine's rapid upward trajectory is changing safety risks for employers nationwide.
Glenn Dobson Warns Cocaine Is Entrenched in New Zealand Workplaces
The country’s largest workplace drug testing provider, which operates 87 clinics (including 60 mobile clinics) across the country and conducts 250,000 tests annually, caught the rising wave through its quarterly Imperans data report.
This quarter, our Imperans data points to a concerning shift in cocaine.
Glenn Dobson, Chief Executive of The Drug Detection Agency
The Drug Detection Agency executive told interviewers that the 118% surge compared to last year reflects international supply chains connecting directly with local demand, noting that detections suggest organised crime has successfully identified markets where the substance can be sold effectively. There’s a glut of cocaine globally at the moment, and I’ve said it before: New Zealanders, we like our drugs,
Dobson said, adding that the nation is very much on the cartel global market
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Auckland North Shore Outpaces Other Regions in Cocaine Detections
Regional breakdowns show distinct geographic concentrations, with Auckland’s North Shore standing out as a primary center for workplace detections. Positive results for cocaine in that upper socio-economic area jumped by 266.1% year-on-year, accounting for 11.5% of all workplace cocaine detections nationwide. Dobson pointed to the glamour stereotype associated with the drug and its slightly higher socio-economic mix of residents as potential factors in that specific region.
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.
Glenn Dobson, The Drug Detection Agency
Wastewater testing figures cited alongside the workplace data indicate an upward consumption trend over recent years.
Workplace Safety Risks Prompt Calls for Revised Health Policies
Employers face distinct operational risks as psychoactive substances infiltrate professional environments.
On safety-critical sites, where split seconds matter, that combination can turn deadly. In the office, that same overconfidence can lead to reckless and poor decisions under pressure.
Glenn Dobson, Chief Executive
While cocaine draws current focus, methamphetamine testing results also demand employer attention, remaining an awful, insidious drug that creates community negativity and real safety issues. Dobson noted that most workplaces maintain drug and alcohol policies to guide employers, and generally offer rehabilitation to help employees stop taking drugs and ensure safer operations.