New Zealand officially launches its medical cannabis program

New Zealanders waiting for medical cannabis will be able to obtain it legally in a few months. The legalization of medical cannabis took effect yesterday in New Zealand.

The new Medical Cannabis Agency, which is part of the Ministry of Health, opened its application process for future cannabis growers and processors yesterday—even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, which will nevertheless lead to longer wait times for license approvals.

Before that date, only the Sativex used primarily in patients with multiple sclerosis, was approved by Medsafe, New Zealand’s drug regulatory authority, and only for multiple sclerosis. Other products were considered «unapproved» and were therefore subject to stricter review and approval on a case-by-case basis.

The new rules require that medical cannabis products—which may be grown in New Zealand or imported through a licensing system—comply with GMP standards. Twenty companies are already authorized to grow cannabis for research purposes and will be able to apply for a medical cultivation license.

Doctors can now prescribe cannabis-based products that meet the Ministry of Health's quality standards more freely, without requiring a visit to a specialist.

The types of products patients may use will be limited to metered-dose products such as oils, tablets, ointments, and creams. Edible products will not be permitted. Dried flowers will be permitted, but only for vaporization.

Ahead of the legalization of medical cannabis in New Zealand, the country also repealed a previous restriction that prohibited the use of vaporizers to use cannabis for medical purposes.

This decision will effectively allow the importation of vaporizers that have been approved as medical devices by a foreign regulatory agency, such as the Volcano by Storz & Bickel in Canada. New Zealand also prohibits the sale of medical cannabis products in a form intended to be smoked. However, it is expected to allow the sale of dried flowers intended for vaporization.

Until now, vaporizers were governed solely by New Zealand’s Drug Act, which prohibits the possession of bongs or pipes. The text has been updated to authorize the medical use of inhalers.

Although medical devices such as nebulizers can be manufactured in New Zealand, they must be approved as medical devices to be compliant, which is not currently possible in the country.

Companies wishing to export sprayers to New Zealand must prove to New Zealand Customs that the devices have been approved by a foreign regulatory agency as medical devices.