Medicinal cannabis law in New Zealand | Medicinal Cannabis NZ…

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

Medicinal cannabis law in New Zealand: The one legal question

The question “is medicinal cannabis legal in New Zealand?” has a short answer: yes, but only as a prescribed 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 preparations that meet the quality specification set by the Ministry of Health. The scheme began operating on 1 April 2020, according to the Ministry of Health.

The only legal route: a 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 preparation 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 medicine can be legally supplied only if it is a “CBD prescription medicine” or a “THC prescription medicine” that meets the quality specification 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 preparations to be prescribed, manufactured, imported, and dispensed. The regulator is the Medicinal Cannabis Agency (MCA), which sits within Medsafe, New Zealand’s medicines regulator.

Preparations must meet GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) requirements 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 preparation that meets the scheme’s quality specification.

The regulator and the legal foundation

The legal foundation is the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975. Under that Act, cannabis and its preparations are Class B1 controlled drugs, but the Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Amendment Act 2018 created a pathway for patients to access quality-assured cannabis medicines with a prescription. The amendment came into force on 1 April 2020, when the Medicinal Cannabis 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 medicine 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 preparation that meets the requirements of the Medicinal Cannabis Scheme.

Under the Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Regulations 2019, the scheme created a legal pathway for patients. The Ministry of Health’s Medicinal Cannabis Agency administers the scheme, and Medsafe sets quality specification. Any medicine 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.

Product standards and market

The Scheme sets GMP requirements for medicines, licensing for cultivation and manufacture, and a pathway for prescribers. The Ministry of Health has published the Minimum Quality Standard for active pharmaceutical ingredients and finished preparations. As of 2025, over 100 items are listed on the New Zealand Medicinal Cannabis Product List. Most are imported from Canada and Australia, though local manufacturers (e.g., NUBU Pharmaceuticals, Cannabisol) have entered the market.

Prescribing rules

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 preparations under section 29 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, but only if they take responsibility for the decision.

The patient pathway

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

Key dates

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