This section contains information about how the Medicinal Cannabis Scheme was developed, including the timeline and key documents.
On this page:
Timeline
- October 2017: Government announces commitment to making medicinal cannabis available for people with terminal illness or chronic pain.
- 13 December 2017: Cabinet approves the introduction of a Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Amendment Bill.
- 20 December 2017: Bill tabled in Parliament. Read the Health Minister's media release (Beehive website).
- 30 January 2018: Bill read for the first time and referred to the Health Committee.
- 25 July 2018: Health Committee reports back to the House, having received 1,786 written submissions and heard 158 oral submissions. The Committee was unable to reach agreement and therefore could not recommend that the Bill proceed.
- 29 November 2018: Bill read in the House (unchanged) for the second time.
- 4 December 2018. Government tables Supplementary Order Paper (SOP) to amend Bill.
- 11 December 2018: Bill, as amended by SOP, passes its third and final reading.
- 18 December 2018: Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Amendment Act 2018 comes into force.
- 10 July 2019: Public consultation document released on Medicinal Cannabis Scheme
- 16 December 2019: Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Regulations 2019 made under Order in Council.
- 1 April 2020: Regulations come into force and Medicinal Cannabis Scheme commences.
Key documents
Medicinal Cannabis 100 Day Plan
- Memorandum 100 Day Plan - 27 October 2017 (PDF, 39 KB)
- Access to cannabis for therapeutic use - 31 October 2017 (PDF, 351 KB)
- Scheme Design for Medicinal Cannabis - 2 November 2017 (PDF, 318 KB)
- Access to Medicinal Cannabis in Australia - 3 Nov 2017 (PDF, 364 KB)
- Options for 100 day legislation - November 2017 (PDF, 602 KB)
- Cabinet Paper: Medicinal cannabis for the terminally ill and patients with chronic pain: 100-Day Action - 16 November 2017 (PDF, 207 KB)
- Medicinal cannabis 100 Day Action - 21 November 2017 (PDF, 346 KB)
- Chair Cabinet Business Committee Medicinal cannabis 100 Day Action - 21 November 2017 (PDF, 494 KB)
- Coversheet Medicinal cannabis 100 day action - 15 December 2017 (PDF, 313 KB)
Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill Introduction and First Reading
- Misuse of Drugs Medicinal Cannabis Amendment Bill CAB Paper - 13 December 2017 (PDF, 286 KB)
- Misuse of Drugs Medicinal Cannabis Amendment Bill 2017 Approval for Introduction - 13 December 2017 (PDF, 142 KB)
- Departmental Disclosure Statement Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Amendment Bill - 15 December 2017 (PDF, 338 KB)
Select Committee consideration
- Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Amendment Bill reports
- Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Amendment Bill submissions and advice
Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill Second Reading
Supplementary Order Paper
- Cabinet Social Wellbeing Committee Cabinet Paper: Medicinal cannabis: Supplementary Order Paper – 2 November 2018 (PDF, 234 KB) and the covering Health Report (PDF, 271 KB)
- Cabinet Legislation Committee Cabinet Paper: Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Amendment Bill: Supplementary Order Paper – 23 November 2018 (PDF, 115 KB) and the covering Health Report (PDF, 265 KB)
- Supplementary Order Paper
- Health Report: Medicinal Cannabis Amendment Bill Committee of the whole House – 3 December 2018 (PDF, 307 KB)
Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill Third Reading
Stakeholder workshops
During February and March 2020, the Ministry of Health held workshops with industry and Māori stakeholders in Whangarei, Auckland, Gisborne, Rotorua, Wellington, Nelson and Christchurch.
The purpose of the workshops was to explain the Medicinal Cannabis Scheme, provide relevant information to help stakeholders prepare quality applications, and answer any queries.
There was a high level of interest in the workshops, with 768 people across the country registering to attend. Around one-third were Māori stakeholders and around two-thirds were general industry stakeholders.
Copies of the workshop presentations are available below.
- Medicinal Cannabis Industry Workshops presentation March 2020 (ppsx, 470 KB)
- Medicinal Cannabis Maori Stakeholder Workshops presentation March 2020 (ppsx, 441 KB)
- Vision Matauranga presentation March 2020 (ppsx, 637 KB)
If you are unable to access any of the presentations, please contact us at [email protected].
Medicinal Cannabis Advisory Group
In December 2018, Cabinet agreed that the Minister of Health appoint a Medicinal Cannabis Oversight Panel to oversee the establishment and implementation of the Medicinal Cannabis Scheme. The Oversight Panel was established as the Medicinal Cannabis Advisory Group.
The following table provides information about the membership and expertise of the Advisory Group.
Member | Expertise |
---|---|
Dr Russell Wills |
Medical expertise – Medical Director, Quality Improvement and Patient Safety, Hawke’s Bay District Health Board (HBDHB); General and Community Paediatrician, HBDHB |
Suzanna Barber |
Pharmacist – Registered pharmacist; Systems Manager of the Pharmacy Service at Middlemore Hospital |
Dr David Burrell |
Primary care physician – General Practitioner with special interest in pain management |
Manu Caddie |
Medicinal cannabis cultivation and manufacturing industry – Managing Director of Hikurangi Cannabis Company; President of New Zealand Medical Cannabis Council |
Tara Creaven-Capasso |
Regulatory expertise – specialist in medicinal cannabis compliance |
Dr Brian Ensor |
Palliative care specialist – Medical Director for Hospice Waikato |
Professor Michelle Glass |
Medicinal cannabis researcher – Head of the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Otago; Chair of the Medicinal Cannabis Research Collaborative |
Judy Leader |
Nurse Practitioner - involved in establishing and leading the acute pain service at MidCentral Health |
Kali Mercier |
Policy – Policy and Advocacy Manager at New Zealand Drug Foundation |
Rebecca Reider |
Consumer representative |
Dr Cynthia Sharpe |
Medical expertise - Paediatric Neurologist at Starship Hospital |
Simon Royal |
Māori health expert - Chief Executive of the National Hauora Coalition |
Meeting minutes
The Advisory Group met on 29 April 2019, 14 May 2019, 13 June 2019 and 4 September 2019. Copies of the meeting minutes are available below.