Marta Rychert — SHORE & Whariki Research Centre

marta rychert, BA, LLM, PhD

Marta is a Senior Research Officer at the SHORE & Whariki Research Centre. Her work lies at the intersection of health, policy and law, with particular focus on the legal aspects of regulating AOD (alcohol and other drugs). This includes new policy responses to recreational cannabis, medicinal cannabis law reform, regulatory approaches to new psychoactive substances (NPS, “legal highs”) and regulation of other psychoactive products such as alcohol, tobacco and e-cigarettes.

Her PhD critically analysed New Zealand’s Psychoactive Substances Act 2013 and its implementation process. She currently leads a Marsden project investigating international not-for-profit approaches to cannabis law reform (2019-2022) and Health Research Council funded study on medicinal cannabis law reform in New Zealand (2019-2022). Prior to joining SHORE, she worked at the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) in Lisbon, where she analysed the drug policies of European Union countries. As well as a PhD in Public Health (Massey University, New Zealand), she holds a Master’s Degree in Law (University of Warsaw, Poland).

Email: m.rychert@massey.ac.nz

Journal articles

Rychert, M., & Wilkins, C. (2023). Referendum Campaigns in Hybrid Media Systems: Insights From the New Zealand Cannabis Legalisation Referendum. Media and Communication, 11(1), 56-68. https://doi.org/10.17645/mac.v11i1.6021 A615

van der Sanden, R., Wilkins, C., Rychert, M., & Barratt, M. J. (2023). Social Supply and the Potential for Harm Reduction in Social Media Drug Markets. Contemporary Drug Problems, 50(3), 381-401. https://doi.org/10.1177/00914509231178940 A614

D'Mello, K., Chan, G. C. K., Hall, W., Rychert, M., Wilkins, C., & Hammond, D. (2023). Use of flavored cannabis vaping products in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand: findings from the international cannabis policy study wave 4 (2021). American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1080/00952990.2023.2238116 A613

Belackova, V., Rychert, M., Wilkins, C., & Pardal, M. (2023). Cannabis Social Clubs in Contemporary Legalization Reforms: Talking Consumption Sites and Social Justice. Clinical Therapeutics, 45(6), 551-559. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinthera.2023.03.017 A609

Surgenor, L. J., Diesfeld, K., & Rychert, M. (2023). Practitioner Rehabilitation following Professional Misconduct: A Common Practice Now in Need of a Theory? Laws, 12(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/laws12030059 A608

Withanarachchie, V., Rychert, M., & Wilkins, C. (2023). Barriers and facilitators to prescribing medicinal cannabis in New Zealand Journal of Primary Health Care, 15(2), 135–146. https://doi.org/10.1071/HC22122 A607

Crossin, R., Cleland, L., Wilkins, C., Rychert, M., Adamson, S., Potiki, T., Pomerleau, A. C., MacDonald, B., Faletanoai, D., Hutton, F., Noller, G., Lambie, I., Sheridan, J. L., George, J., Mercier, K., Maynard, K., Leonard, L., Walsh, P., Ponton, R., . . . Boden, J. (2023). The New Zealand drug harms ranking study: A multi-criteria decision analysis. Journal of Psychopharmacology. https://doi.org/10.1177/02698811231182012 A602

Rychert, M., Romeo, J. S., & Wilkins, C. (2023). Exploring Differences in Daily Vaping of Nicotine and Cannabis among People Who Use Drugs in New Zealand. Substance Use & Misuse, 58(11), 1388-1398. https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2023.2223276 A601

van der Sanden, R., Wilkins, C., & Rychert, M. (2023). “I straight up criminalized myself on messenger”: law enforcement risk management among people who buy and sell drugs on social media. Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy, published online June 20. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687637.2023.2224497 A600

Wadsworth, E., Rynard, V., Driezen, P., Freeman, T. P., Rychert, M., Wilkins, C., Hall, W., Gabrys, R., & Hammond, D. (2023). Legal sourcing of ten cannabis products in the Canadian cannabis market, 2019-2021: a repeat cross-sectional study. Harm Reduction Journal, 20(1), 19. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-023-00753-6 A599

Withanarachchie, V., Rychert, M., & Wilkins, C. (2023). The role of cannabis clinics in the health system: a qualitative study of physicians' views in New Zealand. BMC Health Services Research, 23(10, 2023), https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-12022-09021-y. A592

Klein, A., Rychert, M., & Emanuel, M. A. (2022). Towards social justice and economic empowerment? Exploring Jamaica’s progress with implementing cannabis law reform. Third World Quarterly, 43(11), 2693-2711, doi:10.1080/01436597.2021.1989300 A591

Sultan, A., & Rychert, M. (2022). Editorial. Drugs, Habits and Social Policy, 23(1), 1-4.

van der Sanden, R., Wilkins, C., Rychert, M., & Barratt, M. J. (2022). 'Choice' of social media platform or encrypted messaging app to buy and sell illegal drugs. International Journal of Drug Policy, 108, 103819, doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2022.103819 A590

van der Sanden, R., Wilkins, C., Rychert, M., & Barratt, M. J. (2022). The Use of Discord Servers to Buy and Sell Drugs. Contemporary Drug Problems, 49(4), 453-477, doi:10.1177/00914509221095279 A589

Sanchez Lozano, C. D., Wilkins, C., & Rychert, M. (2022). Lessons from the implementation of residential methamphetamine contamination policies in New Zealand. Drug and Alcohol Review, published online Dec 26, doi:10.1111/dar.13593 A588

Sanchez Lozano, C. D., Wilkins, C., & Rychert, M. (2022). Outcomes from the New Zealand Tenancy Tribunal after a review of policy on residential housing methamphetamine contamination. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, published online July 24, 1-15, doi:10.1080/03036758.2022.2103575 A587

Sanchez Lozano, C. D., Wilkins, C., & Rychert, M. (2022). Comparative analysis of policy responses to residential methamphetamine contamination by two public housing authorities in the United States and New Zealand. Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy, published online May 15, 1-12, doi:10.1080/09687637.2022.2072188 A586

Rychert, M., Wilkins, C., van der Sanden, R., & Prasad, J. (2022). Exploring digital news, advocacy networks and social media campaigns ‘for’ and ‘against’ cannabis legalisation during New Zealand’s cannabis legalisation referendum. Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy, published online June 29, 1-11, doi:10.1080/09687637.2022.2090897 A585

Surgenor, L., Diesfeld, K., Rychert, M., Kelly, O., & Kersey, K. (2022). Criminal Convictions of Disciplined Health Practitioners in New Zealand. Journal of Law and Medicine, 29(1), 117-128 A582

Rychert, M., Diesfeld, K., & Freckelton, I. (2022). Professional Discipline for Vaccine Misinformation Posts on Social Media: Issues and Controversies for the Legal Profession. Journal of Law and Medicine, 29(3), 895-903. A581

Sanchez Lozano, C. D., Wilkins, C., Rychert, M. (2022). Exploring the Adjudication of Methamphetamine-related Housing Contamination Cases in New Zealand. Journal of Law and Medicine, 29(1), 142-155. A568

Wilkins, C., Rychert, M., Queirolo, R., Lenton, S. R., Kilmer, B., Fischer, B., Decorte, T., Hansen, P., Ombler, F. (2022). Assessing options for cannabis law reform: A Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) with stakeholders in New Zealand. International Journal of Drug Policy, 105, 103712. doi: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2022.103712. A583

Crossin, R., Cleland, L., Rychert, M., Wilkins, C., & Boden, J. M. (2022). Measuring drug harm in New Zealand: A stocktake of current data sources. New Zealand Medical Journal, 135(1554), 93-104. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35728221 A584

Wilkins, C., Tremewan, J., Rychert, M., Atkinson, Q., Fischer, G., Lavender Forsyth, A. (2022). Predictors of voter support for the legalization of recreational cannabis use and supply via a national referendum, International Journal of Drug Policy, 99, 103442. Open Access. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103442 A548

Withanarachchie V, Rychert M, Wilkins C. (2022). Assessing progress with the implementation of the New Zealand Medicinal Cannabis Scheme [Editorial]. New Zealand Medical Journal, 135(1548):7-12. A569

van der Sanden, R., Wilkins, C., Romeo, J., Rychert ,M., Barratt M. (2021). Predictors of using social media to purchase drugs in New Zealand: Findings from a large-scale online survey. International Journal of Drug Policy, 98, 103430. doi: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103430 A543

Adams, P., Rychert, M., Wilkins, C. (2021). How does the influence of the cannabis industry differ from that of alcohol and tobacco? [Response to Commentaries]. Addiction, in press.

Adams, PJ., Rychert, M., & Wilkins, C. (2021). Policy influence and the legalized cannabis industry: learnings from other addictive consumption industries. Addiction, published online 19 March, https://doi.org/10.1111/add.15483 A529

Rychert, M., Parker, K., Wilkins, C., Graydon-Guy, T. (2021). Predictors of medicinal cannabis users' willingness to utilise a new prescription Medicinal Cannabis Scheme in New Zealand. New Zealand Medical Journal, 134(1534), 66-75. A521

Rychert, M., Wilkins, C. (2021). Response to commentaries: The politics (and science) of cannabis law reform. Drug and Alcohol Review, published online 19 May. doi: 10.1111/dar.13312

Rychert, M., Emanuel, M.A., Wilkins, C. (2021). Foreign investment in emerging legal medicinal cannabis markets: the Jamaica case study. Globalization and Health, 17(1), 38. A522

Rychert M, and Wilkins C. (2021). Why did New Zealand's referendum to legalise recreational cannabis fail? Drug and Alcohol Review, 40(6), 877-881. doi: 10.1111/dar.13268. A520

Wilkins, C., & Rychert, M. (2021). The rejection of cannabis legalization in New Zealand: Issues with the Cannabis Legalization and Control Bill or wider concerns? Addiction, 116(2), 236-238. doi: 210.1111/add.15361. A502

Rychert, M., Emanuel, M.A., Wilkins, C. (2020) Issues in the establishment of a therapeutic cannabis market under Jamaica's Dangerous Drugs Amendment Act 2015. International Journal of Drug Policy, 86, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2020.102945 A501

Wilkins, C., & Rychert, M. (2020). Assessing New Zealand’s Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill: Prospects and Challenges. Addiction, 116(2), 222-230. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.15144 A500

Rychert, M., & Wilkins, C. (2020). “You have to make some money before you can do some good”: Balancing the commercial, social and public health objectives in a “community enterprise” regulatory model for alcohol and cannabis. International Journal of Drug Policy, 77, 102689. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2020.102689 A490

Wilkins, C., Romeo, J.S., Rychert, M., & Graydon-Guy, T. (2020). Determinants of the retail price of illegal drugs in New Zealand. International Journal of Drug Policy, 79, doi: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2020.102728. A489

Sanchez Lozano, C. D., Wilkins, C., & Rychert, M. (2020) Investigating the New Zealand policy response to methamphetamine-contaminated houses. Drug Testing and Analysis, doi: 10.1002/dta.2782 A488

Rychert, M., Romeo, J. S., Wilkins, C., & Graydon-Guy, T. (2020). Could the community trust model be applied to regulate cannabis? Findings from a survey of two alcohol licensing trust communities in New Zealand. Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy, 1-9. doi:10.1080/09687637.2019.1707776 A487

Rychert, M., Wilkins, C., Parker, K., Graydon-Guy, T. (2020). Exploring medicinal use of cannabis in a time of policy change in New Zealand. New Zealand Medical Journal, 22 May, 133, 54-69. A486

Wilkins, C., Rychert, M. (2020). The Government’s proposal to legalise cannabis in New Zealand: 10 key questions [Editorial]. New Zealand Medical Journal, 22 May, 133, 9-15. A485

Diesfeld, K., Surgenor, L., & Rychert, M. (2020). Breaches of New Zealand's Health and Disability Services Consumers' Rights: Human Rights Review Tribunal Decisions. Journal of Law and Medicine, 27(3), 679-692.

Rychert, M., Wilkins, C., & Noller, G. (2019). Medicinal Cannabis Scheme in New Zealand: lessons from international experience and our own recent drug policy reform setbacks. New Zealand Medical Journal, 132(1503), 8-12. A482

Rychert, M. & Wilkins, C. (2019). A 'community enterprise' model for recreational cannabis: Lessons from alcohol licensing trusts in New Zealand. International Journal of Drug Policy, 67, 72-78. A477

Rychert, M., & Wilkins, C. (2019). New Zealand’s review of the Psychoactive Substances Act 2013: a missed learning opportunity ahead of the national cannabis law reform referendum? [Letter]. Addiction, 114(6), 1129-1130. A476

Rychert, M. & Diesfeld, K. (2019). Teachers’ health, wellbeing and professional misconduct. An exploratory analysis of cases from New Zealand’s Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal. Journal of Law and Medicine, 26, 922-942.

Surgenor, L., Diesfeld, K. & Rychert, M. (2019). Consensual sexual relationships between health practitioners and their patients: An analysis of disciplinary cases from New Zealand. Psychiatry, Psychology and Law, 26(5), 766-782.

Rychert, M., & Wilkins, C. (2018). Understanding the development of a regulated market approach to new psychoactive substances (NPS) in New Zealand using Punctuated Equilibrium Theory. Addiction, 113(11), 2132-2139. Doi: 10.1111/add.14260. A457

Wilkins, C., Rychert, M., Romeo, J., Randerson, S. (2019). Smoke in our eyes: the Sense Partners’ evaluation of the legalisation of cannabis in New Zealand. New Zealand Medical Journal, 132 (1490), 6-9. A456

Wilkins, C., Romeo, J., Rychert, M., Prasad, J., & Graydon-Guy, T. (2018). Determinants of high availability of methamphetamine, cannabis, LSD and ecstasy in New Zealand: Are drug dealers promoting methamphetamine rather than cannabis? International Journal of Drug Policy, 61, 15-22. A455

Wilkins, C., & Rychert, M. (2018). Responding to a new wave of high potency synthetic cannabinoids [Editorial]. New Zealand Medical Journal, 131(1481), 6-8. A449

Moore, J., Forster, C, Diesfeld, K & Rychert, M. (2018). New Zealand Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal cases involving vulnerable clients, 2011-2017 International Journal of the Legal Profession. Doi: 10.1080/09695958.2018.1543119.

Rychert, M. (2018). New Zealand court dismisses Ministry of Health case against ‘heat-not-burn’ tobacco products, highlighting the need to future-proof tobacco control laws. [Letter] Addiction, 113, 1951-54. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/add.14376

Rychert, M., & Wilkins, C. (2018). A critical analysis of the implementation of a legal regulated market for new psychoactive substances (“legal highs”) in New Zealand. International Journal of Drug Policy, 55, 88-94. A425

Rychert, M., Wilkins, C., Parker, K., & Witten, K. (2018). Are government-approved products containing new psychoactive substances perceived to be safer and more socially acceptable than alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs? Findings from a survey of police arrestees in New Zealand. Drug and Alcohol Review, 37(3), 406-413. A416

Rychert, M., Wilkins, C., & Witten, K. (2018). “Lost in translation”: Issues with the establishment of a legal market for “low risk” psychoactive products (“legal highs”) in New Zealand, Drugs: Education, Prevention & Policy, 25(3), 254-261. A401

Rychert, M. (2017). New Zealand’s legal action against IQOS postponed, consultation with Big Tobacco follows. New Zealand Medical Journal, 130(1465), 109-111.

Rychert, M., Wilkins, C. & Witten, K. (2017). Issues with monitoring the safety of psychoactive products under a legal regulated market for new psychoactive substances (NPS) (‘legal highs’) in New Zealand. Drug and Alcohol Review, 36(5), 589-596. A405

Wilkins, C., & Rychert, M. (2017). Recent developments with the New Zealand regulated market approach to 'low risk' psychoactive products. Addiction, 112(1), 34-36. A396

Rychert, M., & Wilkins, C. (2017). Thirty-one psychoactive plants exempted from New Zealand’s Psychoactive Substances Act 2013 [Letter] Addiction, 112(1), 181-182.

Rychert, M., & Wilkins, C. (2016). Legal high industry business and lobbying strategies under a legal market for new psychoactive substances (NPS, 'legal highs') in New Zealand. International Journal of Drug Policy, 37, 90-97. A402

Rychert, M., & Wilkins, C. (2016). What products are considered psychoactive under New Zealand's legal market for new psychoactive substances (NPS, ‘legal highs’)? Implications for law enforcement and penalties. Drug Testing and Analysis, 8(8), 768–778. A385

Wilkins, C., Prasad, J., Wong, K.C., Graydon-Guy, T., & Rychert, M. (2016). An exploratory study of the health harms and utilisation of health services of frequent legal high users under the interim regulated legal high market in central Auckland. New Zealand Medical Journal, 129 (1431), 51-58. A384

Rychert, M., & Wilkins, C. (2016). The challenge of a ban on animal testing for the development of a regulated legal market for new psychoactive substances (NPS) ('legal highs') in New Zealand: Issues and options for resolution. International Journal of Drug Policy, 26, 1273-1278. A372

Rychert, M., & Wilkins, C. (2016), Is the recent ban on animal testing of legal high products a fatal blow to the development of a legal market for ‘low-risk’ psychoactive products in New Zealand? [Letter] Addiction 110(4), 714-715.

Rychert, M., & Wilkins, C. (2015). Did we have the wrong debate about Elixinol™ and medicinal cannabis? [Letter] New Zealand Medical Journal, 128(1421), 69-70.

Peer reviewed book chapters

Rychert, M., & Wilkins, C. (2020). How not to legalize cannabis: Lessons from New Zealand’s experiment with regulating “legal highs”. In T. Decorte, S. Lenton & C. Wilkins (Eds.), Legalizing Cannabis: Experiences, Lessons and Scenarios (pp. 259-282). London: Routledge.

Wilkins, C., Rychert, M., Byrska, B., Van Hout, M., Corazza, O., & Roman-Urrestarazu, A. (2017). Exploring Innovative Policy Responses to NPS and ‘Legal Highs’ in New Zealand, Poland, Republic of Ireland and the UK. In O. Corazza & A. Roman-Urrestarazu (Eds.), Novel Psychoactive Substances: Policy, Economics and Drug Regulation (pp. 57-68). Switzerland: Springer Nature.

Wilkins, C., Prasad, J., Parker, K., Rychert, M., & Barnes, H. M. (2017). Recent Trends in Alcohol and Other Drug Use Among Police Detainees in New Zealand, 2010–2015. In S. Nielsen, R. Bruno, & S. Schenk (Eds.), Non-medical and illicit use of psychoactive drugs (pp. 161-172). Cham: Springer International Publishing.

Rychert, M., & Wilkins, C. (2017), New Zealand’s pre-market approval regime for ‘low risk’ new psychoactive substances (NPS, ‘legal highs’) - a regulatory alternative to prohibition. In A. Malczewski (Ed.) Monitoring and response to Drugs, Drug Addiction and New Psychoactive Substances (pp. 171-182). Poland: Information Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. (Published in English and Polish)

Reports

Randerson, S., Casswell, S., & Rychert, M. (2019). Diminished inclusivity in public space: An important aspect of alcohol’s harm to others. A report for the Health Promotion Agency. Auckland: SHORE & Whariki Research Centre, Massey University.

Rychert, M., Wilkins, C., Romeo, J.S. & T. Graydon-Guy (2019). Could the community alcohol licensing trust model be applied to regulate legal cannabis? Research Bulletin. Auckland: SHORE & Whariki Research Centre, Massey University.

Wilkins, C., Rychert, M. & J.S. Romeo (2019). Utilising an online survey to monitor availability, prices, and involvement of organised crime in supply of methamphetamine in New Zealand. A report for the European Union Drugs Agency (EMCDDA). Auckland: SHORE & Whariki Research Centre, Massey University.

Wilkins, C. Prasad, J., Rychert, M. Romeo, J.S. & T. Graydon-Guy (2018). Which regions reported higher levels of methamphetamine and cannabis dependency and need for help with substance use problems? Research Bulletin. Auckland: SHORE & Whariki Research Centre, Massey University.

Wilkins, C., Prasad, J., Parker, K., Moewaka Barnes, H., Asiasiga, L., & Rychert, M. (2017). New Zealand Arrestee Drug Use Monitoring (NZ-ADUM) 2010–2016. Auckland: SHORE & Whariki Research Centre, Massey University.

Wilkins, C., Prasad, J., Parker, K., Moewaka-Barnes, H., Romeo, J.S., & Rychert, M. (2017), New Zealand Arrestee Drug Use Monitoring (NZ-ADUM): 2016 Report. SHORE & Whāriki Research Centre, Massey University, Auckland.

Wilkins, C., Prasad, J., Romeo, J. S., & Rychert, M. (2017). Recent trends in illegal drug use in New Zealand, 2006-2016: Findings from the Illicit Drug Monitoring System. December. Auckland: Social and Health Outcomes Research and Evaluation (SHORE), College of Health, Massey University.

Wilkins, C., Prasad, J., Wong, K., & Rychert, M. (2017), Recent trends in illegal drug use in New Zealand 2006-2015: Findings from the Illegal Drug Monitoring System (IDMS). SHORE & Whāriki Research Centre, Massey University, Auckland.

Wilkins, C., Prasad, J., Parker, K., Rychert, M., & Moewaka Barnes, H. (2016). New Zealand Arrestee Drug Use Monitoring (NZ-ADUM) 2010 - 2015. Auckland: SHORE & Whariki Research Centre, College of Health, Massey University.

Wilkins, C. & M. Rychert (2015) The history, development and implementation of the pre-market regulated legal regime for ‘low risk’ psychoactive products (‘legal highs’) in New Zealand. A report for the European Union Drugs Agency (EMCDDA). Auckland: SHORE & Whariki Research Centre, Massey University.

Wilkins, C., Prasad, J., Parker, K., Moewaka Barnes, H., Asiasiga, L., & Rychert, M. (2015). New Zealand Arrestee Drug Use Monitoring (NZ-ADUM) 2010 - 2014. Auckland: SHORE & Whariki Research Centre, College of Health, Massey University.

Wilkins, C., Prasad, J., Wong, K., & Rychert, M. (2015), Recent trends in illegal drug use in New Zealand 2006-2014: Findings from the Illegal Drug Monitoring System (IDMS). SHORE & Whāriki Research Centre, Massey University, Auckland.

Wilkins, C., Prasad, J., Wong, K., & Rychert, M. (2014). Recent trends in illegal drug use in New Zealand 2006-2013: Findings from the 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 Illicit Drug Monitoring System (IDMS). Auckland: SHORE & Whariki Research Centre, Massey University.

Rychert, M., Palczak, K., Zobel, F. & Hughes, B. (2014), Drug Policy Profile: Poland. EU Drugs Agency (EMCDDA). Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg.

Mounteney, J., Groshkova, T., Thanki, D., Cunningham, A. & Rychert, M. (2014), Discovering Methamphetamine trends in Europe, EMCDDA Papers, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg.