New warning on drug use at work comes ahead of year-end corporate events
Cocaine detection in workplace drug tests has surged by over 100% in New Zealand, according to a new report, as employers are urged to protect their people ahead of corporate year-end events.
The latest Imperans report from The Drug Detection Agency (TDDA) revealed cocaine accounted for 3.2% of positive workplace drug tests in the third quarter of 2026, soaring by 117.7% year-on-year.
This is a much sharper increase than the 68.5% reported during the second quarter, and shows a "concerning shift" in cocaine's presence in New Zealand.
"Detections suggest that organised crime has found a suitable supply chain and they continue to identify markets, like Auckland's North Shore, where the drug can be sold effectively. This is following global supply trends," said TDDA chief executive Glenn Dobson in a statement.
Dobson's warning to businesses on cocaine's presence at work now extends to the North Island, after the North Shore reported a 266.1% year-on-year increase in detected cocaine during workplace drug tests.
"Cocaine affects how the brain evaluates risk, producing misplaced confidence and compromised decision-making at exactly the wrong moment. On safety-critical sites, where split seconds matter, that combination can turn deadly," he warned.
"In the office, that same overconfidence can lead to reckless and poor decisions under pressure."
Methamphetamine surges in Wellington
Meanwhile, the detection of amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS), including methamphetamine, saw a surge in Wellington, which logged a 203.3% increase.
"While cocaine is on the rise, businesses can't take their eye off methamphetamines," Dobson warned. "Businesses in the area need to understand the signs of use and have a plan in place to manage workers."
ATS, including methamphetamine, accounted for 25.4% of positive tests, increasing by 9.4% year-on-year.
TDDA said that while it may look like an easing from last quarter's 32.7%, it still reflects a high base in the second quarter.
"The drug class remains an ever-growing plague in communities as well as in workplaces, and the harms of the drug, from paranoia and aggression to clouded judgement and chronic fatigue, are well known," Dobson warned.
Drug detection in New Zealand
Overall, 3.2% of workplace drug tests carried out by TDDA in the third quarter yielded positive results, with the detection rate rising from 2.8% in the second quarter.
Cannabis was detected in 68.9% of positive tests, down three per cent year-on-year, while opioids accounted for 18.2% of positive tests, down 2.2% year-on-year.
The rising drug detection rates in New Zealand's workplaces prompted a warning from Dobson, who expressed concern ahead of corporate year-end events in the coming months.
"With more corporate events such as year-end parties, people's guard tends to drop," Dobson said.
"It's one of the most exciting times of the year, but it's also a time to pause and think about how to protect your people and your business."
He urged employers to use trend information to help prevent problems related to drug use in the workplace.
"A drug test gives an employer a result at a point in time. But when you look at testing data over time, you can start to identify patterns that help you make better decisions," he previously told HRD.
"That might mean changing the focus of employee education, reviewing your testing programme or recognising a risk that wasn't previously on your radar. Employers can use trend information to help prevent problems versus responding when a test comes back positive."
