Date: Thu, 31 May 2018 10:53:57 +1200
Subject: Official Information request - Research Papers
From: Warren Murdoch <[email address]>
To: "OIA/LGOIMA requests at Office of the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor" <[Office of the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor request email]>

Dear Office of the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor,

In respect of the report released by the Prime Minister's Chief Science Advisor on 29/05/18 titled "Methamphetamine contamination in residential properties: Exposures, risk levels, and interpretation of standards" I request the following information pursuant to the Official Information Act.

1. On page 6 of the report the following statement is made

"Former meth labs generally have relatively high levels of methamphetamine residue on sampled surfaces (levels greater than 30 μg of methamphetamine per 100 cm2 surface area are thought to be indicative of manufacturing activity)."

Could you please provide me with the research that supports  the above statement.

2. On page 6 of the report the following statement is made

"Yet, given the relatively low number of confirmed meth labs found, and the very low average levels of methamphetamine found in most houses that test positive for the drug, most New Zealanders will only ever encounter very low levels of residue that are the result of methamphetamine use."

Could you please provide me with the research that supports the above statement.

3. On page 6 of the report the following statement is made

"This threshold was chosen for reasons of practicality and did not distinguish between former labs and premises where methamphetamine was used."

Could you please provide me with the document that supports the above statement.

4. On page 6 of the report the following statement is made

"ESR analysis suggests that most houses in New Zealand in which methamphetamine can be detected have only low levels that are not widespread throughout the house. This situation is likely to be caused by methamphetamine use rather than manufacture. Less than 1% of the samples in the ESR dataset tested above 30 μg/100 cm2, a level that is taken to indicate a property was likely used for manufacture."

Could you please provide me with the research that supports the above statement.

5. On page 8 of the report the following statement is made

"Taken together, these factors indicate that methamphetamine levels that exceed the NZS 8510:2017 clean-up standard of 1.5 μg/100 cm2 should not be regarded as signalling a health risk. Indeed, exposure to methamphetamine levels below 15 μg/100 cm2 would be highly unlikely to give rise to any adverse effects.

Could you please provide me with the research that supports the above statement.

6. On page 8 of the report the following statement is made

"This means that, because the risk of encountering methamphetamine on residential surfaces at levels that might cause harm is extremely low, testing is not warranted in most cases."

Could you please provide me with the research that supports the above statement

7. Your research analyst Dr Ann Bardsley has been quoted in the press saying that she  spoke to Dr Jackie Wright for over an hour about her research which involved a single situation where meth was produced, not a home in which meth had only been smoked.

Could you please provide me with 
- any notes that Dr Bardsley made in relation to that conversation and any further conversations that she had with Dr Jackie Wright whether verbally or in a written form.
- copies of any documents provided by Dr Wright to the Office of the Prime Minister's Chief Science Advisor.
- information about the "single situation where meth was produced"

Kind Regards

Warren Murdoch
[email address]

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