The Salvation Army says demand for its drug rehabilitation services is growing year on year.
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The army's head of addiction services, Lynette Hudson, said methamphetamine was now highly accessible in the Far North, Auckland and the central North Island.
She said it used to be the exception but was now part of a normal pattern of behaviour.
People were also being exposed to drugs at a much younger age and were often combining different substances such as alcohol and cannabis, she said.
The army said it expected to see a surge in demand at its detox centres this month after the new year.
It said alcohol remained the most common drug people sought treatment for.
A spokesperson, Paul Clifford, said the New Year often forced people to reassess their lives, as they woke up to the realisation that nothing had changed for them in a year.
He said most people came to a realisation, particularly after suffering blackouts or engaging in behaviour that was out of character, that they could not continue doing the same.
