New Zealand has launched a new national campaign aimed at preventing methamphetamine use before it starts. F. Meth, developed by Health New Zealand, will appear across social media, online video, posters, digital screens, radio, audio and community channels, with the government expecting it to reach more than 2.5 million people.

The campaign deliberately uses a provocative name. The “F” can stand for different responses to meth, including facing it, fighting it, forgetting it or being free from meth-related harm. Campaign messages focus particularly on situations involving social and peer pressure and encourage people to think in advance about why they want to resist meth and how they will respond if they are offered it.

Health New Zealand says community and lived-experience feedback was used in developing the campaign. The national material can also be adapted locally, with Porirua used at launch to demonstrate how communities can tailor the approach to their own circumstances.

Importantly, the campaign is not being presented as a substitute for services. It forms part of a wider response that includes prevention in schools, early intervention, treatment, peer and family support and help navigating addiction services. The initial campaign rollout will also be evaluated before decisions are made about further implementation.

Find more from F. Meth (New Zealand, September 2026)