Is It Legal to Grow Medical Cannabis in New Zealand?

The general perception of cannabis in New Zealand is quite favorable, regardless of the government’s stand on it. However, the law is still the law and you don’t want to be caught on the wrong side of it. That explains why reputable seed banks like the Herbies does ensure their customers understand the laws pertaining to cannabis in their own locality.

Is It Legal to Possess Marijuana in New Zealand?

Currently, according to the Misuse of Drugs Act of 1975, it is forbidden to possess and use restricted substances, including marijuana, recreationally in New Zealand. As a class B drug, cannabis carries a “high risk of damage,” according to classification.

A judge may therefore condemn an erring person to prison. Two months in jail, a $500 fine, or both are possible penalties for cannabis use and possession. The police however regularly ignore cases of its use, particularly when it is done in little doses.

If the person can demonstrate that they are in possession of the drug for the purpose of stopping the third party from committing a crime or that they are doing so to supply it to someone who has the authority to do so, then imprisonment is not an option.

Is Cannabis Sale Legal in New Zealand?

New Zealand likewise forbids the sale and distribution of cannabis. The Drug Abuse Act of New Zealand does not differentiate between possession and use; hence, the same penalties apply to both.

On the other hand, the trafficking of cannabis is seen as a considerably more serious felony. The penalty for importing or exporting this drug is up to seven years in prison.

Is Marijuana or Cannabis Cultivation Legal in New Zealand?

The cultivation of “forbidden plants” is prohibited in New Zealand. This behavior carries a maximum sentence of seven years in jail.

Cannabis seeds in NZ are still grown despite these legal restrictions, however. Some people do this for medical reasons because it is currently challenging to obtain cannabis derivatives for therapeutic purposes without a prescription. But, according to a Massey University study, 16% of cannabis growers in New Zealand have had run-ins with the law.

Is CBD Permitted in New Zealand?

CBD wasn’t accessible without a prescription before 2018. To modify its legal status, an amendment was passed at the end of 2018. With a prescription, CBD can now be bought and used for up to three months without being considered a controlled substance. THC concentrations in CBD and other psychotropic ingredients must be less than 2% for you to be able to get away with that.

Under the Misuse of Drugs Act, cannabis products are legal if “the esters and ethers naturally occur in cannabis and are not capable of inducing more than a minor psychoactive effect, by any means, in a person.”

In October 2021, New Zealand’s first locally-made CBD products became available under prescription. The news came just days after a grace period ended which had allowed medical cannabis patients to legally access 13 CBD products which became illegal at the end of the grace period.

Can Marijuana Seeds be Shipped to New Zealand?

Currently, it is prohibited to send cannabis seeds to New Zealand. In 2018, customs officers seized 19,000 seedlings. However, purchasing cannabis seeds in NZ is as easy and fast as any other transaction.

Is Medical Cannabis Accessible in New Zealand

Before 2018, New Zealand had limited access to therapeutic cannabis derivatives. Due to a shortage of production facilities, goods like Sativex were costly and challenging to find. Cesamet and Marinol are two examples of unapproved products that occasionally receive individual authorization.

The legislation underwent significant changes in December 2018. Among the improvements were:

• Patients who are terminally sick will have easier access to cannabis without a prescription. 

• As a result of CBD’s removal from the list of prohibited substances, patients in need now have complete access to it.

• The new legislative authority created new quality standards for products made or imported into the nation that are medical cannabis derivatives.

To increase access to medical marijuana in 2019, the Ministry of Health established new legislation that encourages domestic production and loosens tight prescription guidelines. To guarantee the consistency and high quality of the items sold on the market, the government also developed a minimal quality standard for medicinal marijuana.

A year later, the Medical Marijuana Plan was officially introduced. This is anticipated to expand the patient pool and grow the medical marijuana market. The Medicinal Cannabis Agency oversees the nation’s medical marijuana program, which has drawn criticism for having some of the tightest regulations in the world even though doctors can still recommend cannabis-based medications there.

Vaporizers cannot be imported or sold by medicinal cannabis patients unless they have received international regulatory approval as medical equipment. Any type of medical cannabis intended for smoking or grown for individual use by medical cannabis patients is prohibited by law.

Can You Grow Medical Marijuana in NZ?

Even those who have a prescription for medical marijuana are not allowed to grow cannabis for personal use in New Zealand. As previously indicated, possession of a seed of a forbidden plant is punishable by up to a year in prison and/or a $500 fine, and the growth of medicinal marijuana seeds is punishable by up to a seven-year prison sentence.

Is Hemp Cultivation Legal in New Zealand?

If the grower has a license, hemp can be farmed lawfully in New Zealand. These permits are issued by the government.

Hemp is categorized as a restricted narcotic under the Drug Abuse Act, but cultivation is legal if the THC content is less than 0.35 percent. The legislation is clear that hemp cannot be distributed to unauthorized people or promoted for use in psychoactive activities. It will cost any aspiring grower $511.11 for a one-year license to cultivate hemp. You can get permission to conduct additional research across species for $153.33.

Final words

In conclusion, New Zealand’s laws on growing cannabis remain firm; any type of marijuana farming will attract a fine or up to 7 years imprisonment. At Herbies, their e-library ensures that customers are armed with the requisite knowledge needed to grow cannabis in any jurisdiction.