Medicinal cannabis law in New Zealand

The single most important fact to understand about medicinal cannabis law in New Zealand is this: legal access runs through the prescription system, not through a general permission to use cannabis. Since the Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Amendment Act came into force on 1 November 2018, a medical practitioner can prescribe a cannabis-based product, and a patient can legally possess and use that product if it meets the standards set by the Medicinal Cannabis Scheme. That is the only legal route.

This page gives you the current legal framework, the regulator, the product standards, and a step-by-step pathway to access. It is written for patients, whānau, clinicians, and pharmacists who need a practical, non-advocacy baseline.

The one legal question

The question “is medicinal cannabis legal in New Zealand?” has a short answer: yes, but only as a prescription medicine under the Medicinal Cannabis Scheme, not as a general licence to use cannabis. The Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 still classifies cannabis as a controlled drug. The Medicinal Cannabis Scheme, established under the Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Amendment Act 2018, created a legal pathway for medical practitioners to prescribe, and for pharmacists to dispense, cannabis-based products that meet the standards set by the Ministry of Health. The scheme began operating on 1 April 2020, according to the Ministry of Health.

The one legal route: prescription, not permission

You do not need a special licence or a government card. The only legal way to access medicinal cannabis in New Zealand is a prescription from a registered medical practitioner, dispensed by a pharmacy, for a product that meets the requirements of the Medicinal Cannabis Scheme. The Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 sets the framework; the Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Regulations 2019 created the scheme, which came into force on 1 April 2020 (New Zealand Ministry of Health, 2020). Under that scheme, a product can be legally supplied only if it is a “CBD prescription medicine” or a “THC prescription medicine” that meets the quality standards set by the Ministry of Health and is listed on the Medicinal Cannabis Scheme product register. A prescription from a registered medical practitioner is always required. There is no general “medicinal cannabis card” and no legal right to grow, smoke, or possess raw cannabis outside that prescription pathway.

What the law actually regulates

The legal basis is the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 and the Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Regulations 2019. Under that framework, cannabis remains a controlled drug. The Medicinal Cannabis Scheme, which started on 1 April 2020, does not decriminalise cannabis; it creates a controlled pathway for quality-assured products to be prescribed, manufactured, imported, and dispensed. The regulator is the Medicinal Cannabis Agency (MCA), which sits within Medsafe, New Zealand’s medicines regulator.

Products must meet GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) standards and be approved by the Ministry of Health. The scheme does not legalise raw plant material for smoking, nor does it allow a person to grow their own plants for medicinal use. The only legal route is a prescription from a medical practitioner, dispensed by a licensed pharmacist, using a product that meets the scheme’s quality standards.

The legal basis and the regulator

The legal foundation is the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975. Under that Act, cannabis remains a controlled drug, but the Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Amendment Act 2018 created a pathway for patients to access quality-assured cannabis products with a prescription. The amendment came into force on 1 November 2020, when the Medicinal Cannabis Scheme (the Scheme) began. The Scheme is administered by the Medicinal Cannabis Agency (MCA), which sits within Medsafe, the New Zealand medicines regulator. The Ministry of Health oversees the Agency.

The key legal point is that medicinal cannabis is not a separate category of legal drug. It sits inside the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 as a controlled drug. A product is only legal if it is:

• Prescribed by an authorised medical practitioner,
• Dispensed by a licensed pharmacist (or, in narrow cases, supplied by a licensed provider), and
• Sourced from a product that meets the requirements of the Medicinal Cannabis Scheme.

Under the Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Regulations 2019, which came into force on 1 April 2020, the scheme created a legal pathway for patients. The Ministry of Health’s Medicinal Cannabis Agency (MCA) administers the scheme, and Medsafe sets product quality standards. Any product supplied under the scheme must meet Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and the Ministry of Health’s quality specification. The scheme does not legalise recreational cannabis; it creates a controlled pharmaceutical pathway.

The Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 still classifies cannabis as a controlled drug. Under the Act, cannabis and its preparations are Class B1 controlled drugs, but the Medicinal Cannabis Scheme (established by the Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Amendment Act 2018, effective 1 April 2020) provides a legal framework for prescribing, manufacturing and supplying pharmaceutical-grade cannabis products.

The Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 and its 2018 amendment (effective 1 April 2020) are the primary legislation. The Medicinal Cannabis Scheme is administered by the Medicinal Cannabis Agency (MCA), which sits within Medsafe, the New Zealand Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Authority. The Scheme sets GMP standards for products, licensing for cultivation and manufacture, and a pathway for prescribers.

Products must meet GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) standards under the scheme, and the Ministry of Health has published the Minimum Quality Standard for active pharmaceutical ingredients and finished products. As of 2025, over 100 products are listed on the New Zealand Medicinal Cannabis Product List. Most products are imported from Canada and Australia, though local manufacturers (e.g., NUBU Pharmaceuticals, Cannabisol) have entered the market.

Prescribing: Any doctor registered in NZ can prescribe medicinal cannabis, but they must follow the requirements of the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1977. The prescriber must complete the online learning module on the Medicinal Cannabis Scheme before their first prescription. There is no requirement for a specialist referral. In practice, many GPs are still hesitant, and a patient may need to see a cannabis clinic or a specialist. The prescriber must consider the NZ Formulary guidance and the patient’s condition; they can prescribe unapproved products under section 29 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, but only if they take responsibility for the decision.

The patient pathway: (1) Book an appointment with a GP or specialist. (2) Discuss symptoms, prior treatments, and why medicinal cannabis is being considered. (3) If the clinician agrees, they issue a prescription for a specific product, dose, and administration route. (4) The prescription is filled at a licensed pharmacy, not a dispensary. (5) The pharmacist counsels on use, storage, and adverse effects. (6) Ongoing review at 2-4 week intervals.

Legal framework: Misuse of Drugs Act 1975, Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1977, Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Amendment Act 2018 (in force 1 April 2020), Medicinal Cannabis Scheme (MCA, under Medsafe), Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Regulations 2019. Under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975, cannabis remains a controlled drug, but the 2018 amendment created an exception for products that meet the scheme’s standards and are prescribed by a doctor. The scheme’s key change was to allow the Ministry of Health to license the cultivation, manufacture, and supply of medicinal cannabis products; it did not legalise recreational use or home growing. The Medicinal Cannabis Agency (MCA) is the regulator within Medsafe, and it administers the scheme. The Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Regulations 2019 set out the rules for licensing, good manufacturing practice (GMP), and product standards. The Ministry of Health has published the “Guidance for the Medicinal Cannabis Scheme” and the “Regulatory Impact Statement” that explain the framework.

Key dates: 1 April 2020 (Medicinal Cannabis Scheme fully operational), 1 April 2020 (Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Regulations 2019 came into force), 2021 (first local product approval), 2023 (Medleaf and Tilray dominate NZ market), 2024 (NUBU 100 launched), 2025 (Cannabisol launched).