DO YOU NEED METH TESTING?
We offer the following advice about meth testing as we are not here to exploit our clients
Some people like to know if there are even small traces of meth in their homes. If this is you, then we can assist with a test. However, if you are not sure you need a test, please read the article below put out by the NZ Drug Foundation, which may assist you in your decision to proceed or not. If after reading this article you want to book a test, please include this in your booking
Since the methamphetamine testing scam was unequivocably busted in mid-2018, we’ve continued to receive calls from people unsure if they still need to test for methamphetamine residue, or what to do if a test comes up positive. And what it means for their insurance.
The news is good: unless methamphetamine has been smoked heavily in your house or the property has been used as a laboratory for manufacture, you don’t need to worry about the health effects. There’s absolutely no evidence in any medical literature anywhere that people can be harmed by third-hand exposure to methamphetamine residue on surfaces.
Nevertheless, some people are still worried about health risks. If you are unsure, then give the walls and furnishings a good clean. Any standard detergent will do. Methamphetamine residue dissipates over time, so give the place a good airing out.
WHAT THE REPORT SAID...
The Prime Minister’s Chief Science Adviser Sir Peter Gluckman published a report, visit external website in May, on health risks linked to the presence of methamphetamine residue on walls, flooring and other surfaces. Previous maximum levels had been set far too low to be applied for screening of all houses, he said. Houses with methamphetamine residues at such low levels did not represent a health risk that required remediation.
He advised raising the threshold for initial screening ten-fold, to 15 mcg per 100cm2. That means very few properties will now be deemed ‘contaminated’. Housing NZ immediately adopted the new guide levels, and up to 240 state houses were released for use.
Methamphetamine can be harmful to those who use it, and potentially to others (especially children) who live with them while they are using. Manufacturing methamphetamine in a house can also damage the health of inhabitants, due to the toxic chemicals that are sometimes used in the manufacturing process.
WHEN DO YOU NEED TO TEST?
Based on Sir Peter Gluckman’s report, you only need to test your property if the police have advised you it was used to manufacture methamphetamine, or if you have good reason to suspect very heavy use in the property.
