AoD Whaioro Trust

21/10/2026

🚨 High Alert NZ talks about the emerging risks of Space Vapes, also known as Space Oil or K Pods.

These v**es may contain dangerous substances that can cause sedation, loss of muscle control and breathing difficulties.

⚠️ Stay informed, understand the risks and look out for your whānau.

🔗 Find out more: https://www.highalert.org.nz/

Let’s talk about space v**es. You may also know it as space oil or k pods as that’s what the v**e liquid is sometimes called. 👾👾

These v**es generally contain etomidate - a fast-acting medication that is traditionally used for anaesthesia during medical procedures. It comes on quickly and has a short duration, and effects can include loss of coordination or muscle control (ataxia), sedation and breathing difficulties. Find out more here: https://www.highalert.org.nz/articles/space-oil-and-kpods-whats-going-on-with-etomidate-in-v**es/

We’ve seen space v**es at drug checking clinics since January 2025 and as well as etomidate, they have been found to also contain 1,4-BD and ni****ne, along with random other substances. There’s no way of knowing what is in your space v**e without getting it checked. While this can be tricky, the pods are hard to get into, drug checking can help check v**es, so bring it along to one of the free, legal clinics held regularly across New Zealand.

Remember, it’s always safer to not take lots of different things at the same time, especially as the v**es may already contain different substances. Especially avoid combining it with other depressants like alcohol, benzos and opioids. The combined sedative effect increases the risk of choking, overdose or losing consciousness.

If you've had unexpected or unusual effects after va**ng something, you can let us know at https://www.highalert.org.nz/report-unusual-effects/ This helps keep others safer and helps us understand what substances are doing the rounds.

08/10/2026

☀️🎉 Summer party season is nearly here! As we head into warmer weather, late nights and celebrations, it’s a good time to think about how we can keep ourselves and our friends safer. High Alert has put together some important information about the risks that can come with alcohol and other drug use, including drink spiking, unknown substances, mixing drugs, overdose and getting home safely. Stay informed, look out for your mates and have a plan before you head out. Check out the information below from High Alert for tips on having a safer night out. 💚

You can't tell if what you think you have is actually what it's supposed to be unless you get it checked. Drug checking clinics are held regularly across the motu, find one near you here: https://thelevel.org.nz/drug-checking-clinics/

Some more advice to keep yourself safer if you choose to use substances:
🥳 Start with a low dose to see how it affects you, and avoid taking more.
🥳 Avoid mixing substances, and that includes with alcohol.
🥳 Use the buddy system, have a friend around who can help, and call an ambulance if things go wrong.
🥳 Know the signs of an overdose - always call 111 if you or someone else starts to lose consciousness or breathe slowly. Don't leave the person alone and treat it like an overdose if you're not sure.

Check out our harm reduction advice and tips for saying safer ⤵️ https://www.highalert.org.nz/articles/tips-for-a-safer-night-out/

16/09/2026

🌿 Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori | Māori Language Week 🌿

This week, give te reo Māori a go! 🗣️💚

You don’t have to know heaps — start small! Try using a few kupu or greetings in your day:

👋 Kia ora – Hello
🌅 Mōrena – Good morning
😊 Kei te pēhea koe? – How are you?
❤️ Ka pai – Good / awesome
👋 Ka kite – See you later
🙏 Tēnā koe – Thank you / greetings to one person

Have a go, give it a try and encourage your mates to join in! 🙌
He reo, he mana, he taonga. 🌿

04/09/2026

📲 Social media can spread substance trends almost instantly

A trend that used to take months can now spread in days.

Rangatahi are more connected to each other than ever before.

TikTok. Instagram. Group chats.

Substance use, behaviours and misinformation can spread incredibly quickly through these spaces.

And young people aren't necessarily getting their information from parents, schools or professionals first.

They're getting it from peers and creators.

That means misinformation can spread just as quickly as accurate information.

📱 The digital world is now part of the environment we need to consider when preventing addiction.

03/09/2026

🎮 WHEN DOES GAMING BECOME GAMBLING?

Imagine paying real money for a loot box — but you don't know what you're going to get.

You might get the item you wanted.

You might not.

That uncertainty is where researchers talk about the “gamblification” of gaming — gambling-like features being built into games.

For some young people, exposure to gambling-like experiences can begin at home, through gaming, long before they ever visit a betting site.

“It’s just gaming” doesn’t necessarily mean there’s no gambling influence.

02/09/2026

It doesn’t start with losing everything.

For rangatahi, online gambling harm might look like chasing a win, spending more than planned, constantly thinking about the next bet, hiding how much you’ve spent, losing sleep, or feeling stressed when things don’t go your way.

And when gambling is sitting right there on your phone, the line between entertainment and harm can become harder to see.

This Gambling Harm Awareness Week, we’re starting the kōrero about what online gambling harm can really look like for rangatahi.

💬 Where do you think the line is between fun and harm?

02/09/2026

11 times. In just one hour.

High school students who tracked their online activity recorded an average of 11 gambling-related messages, ads or pieces of content in a single hour.

That’s almost 2 gambling exposures every 10 minutes.

And much of it didn’t even look like gambling advertising. It appeared through social media, gaming, sport, influencers and entertainment.

If young people are constantly seeing gambling presented as fun, normal and entertaining, what message are we really sending them?

📱🎰 The gambling environment has changed. Our prevention approaches need to change with it.

01/09/2026

54 TIMES A WEEK.

That’s how often children are estimated to encounter gambling-related content and marketing.

And that exposure isn't necessarily an obvious TAB or casino advertisement.

It can show up in gaming, sport, social media, influencers and entertainment.

When something is repeatedly presented to us as normal, fun and exciting, it can start to feel normal.

What are our rangatahi learning about gambling before they ever place a bet?

31/08/2026

💜 International Overdose Awareness Day 💜

Today we remember those we’ve lost to overdose and share ways we can help keep each other safer.

In Aotearoa New Zealand, around three people die from an overdose every week. 💜

💜 Don’t use alone — have a mate with you who can call 111 if something goes wrong.

💜 Know the signs — slow or stopped breathing, blue lips, gurgling, vomiting, or being unable to wake are all signs of an overdose.

💜 Know what’s out there — check out High Alert for the latest drug alerts in Aotearoa.

🚑 If you think someone is overdosing, call 111 immediately. Don’t leave them alone.

Look out for your mates. You could save a life. 💜

💜It's International Overdose Awareness Day💜

Today, thousands of people around the globe and in Aotearoa New Zealand will be gathering to remember loved ones who we've lost to overdose. It's important to remember people, their lives and learn about what we can do to prevent losing more.

Along with getting any substances checked before taking them, having someone with you is one of the best steps you can take to keep yourself safer. Have a buddy who can help, and call an ambulance, if things go wrong. This is especially important when it comes to opioids - overdoses can happen quickly. Even if you have naloxone with you, you may not be able to administer it by yourself. Having someone with you who is familiar with it and can give naloxone to you could save your life.

Taking quick action can safe a life, so make sure you recognise the signs and symptoms of an overdose. Always call 111 and ask for an ambulance immediately if you or someone else has any of the below signs after taking a substance. Don’t leave the person alone and treat it as an overdose if you’re unsure.

Signs of an overdose can include:
🚑 The person's face is extremely pale and/or feels clammy to the touch.
🚑 Their body goes limp.
🚑 Their fingernails or lips have a purple or blue colour.
🚑 They start vomiting or making gurgling noises.
🚑 They cannot be awakened or are unable to speak.
🚑 Their pupils become very small.
🚑 Their breathing and/or heartbeat slows or stops.

Some of our partners are offering Overdose Awareness workshops, along with spaces where people can gathering to reflect and remember. You can find the full list of registered events here: https://www.overdoseday.com/events-2026/?e-filter-fd58da0-category=new-zealand

31/08/2026

42 HOURS.

That’s the average amount of time rangatahi in the presentation are spending behind screens each week.

Now think about what can happen during those 42 hours.

Gambling content.

Va**ng content.

Influencers.

Gaming.

Misinformation.

Endless personalised algorithms.

When young people are spending this much time in digital environments, online culture isn't separate from their real lives — it's part of them.

📱 If we want to understand rangatahi today, we have to understand the digital world they're growing up in.