How 'poppers' were taken off the shelves in New Zealand

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2023-06-27 08:44

New Zealand

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In 2020, NZ decided to make drugs commonly known as “poppers” available by prescription only. The move was opposed by advocacy groups and users, who argued that the drugs - which are commonly used by men who have sex with men to increase sexual comfort - had no indications of harm. Researchers reviewed the lead-up to Medsafe’s decision to limit access to poppers. They found the “problem” was brought to the fore by scheduling decisions that were being made in Australia, rather than by any evidence of a problem from New Zealand, and that no other alternative options were put on the table. While the move was meant to make poppers safer, the researchers say the reduction in access is likely to have increased harm for men who have sex with men.