Welcome to the front door
This is an independent, evidence-led resource on New Zealand’s medicinal cannabis system. It is not the former MedCan Summit, nor is it affiliated with its organiser, and it does not sell, prescribe, or supply cannabis preparations. The role is narrower: to give people using the system, whānau, clinicians, pharmacists, and sector readers a clear, decision-oriented map of how medicinal cannabis actually works in New Zealand, and to point to the authoritative sources for every claim made.
This resource is not a clinic, a pharmacy, or a regulator. It does not provide medical advice, endorse specific preparations, or make claims about the therapeutic effects of any cannabinoid beyond what is supported by peer-reviewed clinical guidance and the official New Zealand prescribing framework. Every factual claim is attributed to a named source and year; where the data is uncertain or contested, that is stated plainly. Personal treatment decisions belong with a qualified prescriber or pharmacist.
The legal landscape changes. The law is stated as at 2025 with the relevant regulator or legislation cited. For updates, check the New Zealand Ministry of Health and Medsafe.
How the dossier is organised
The dossier is organised like a decision tree, not an encyclopedia. Each page answers one question and then points to the next relevant page. This page is the front door. Use the six pillars below to navigate.
The six pillars:
- The legal framework: what the Medicinal Cannabis Scheme is, what it allows, and what it does not allow.
- The patient pathway: how a prescription works in Aotearoa, who can prescribe, what a consultation looks like, how dispensing happens, costs, and how to talk to a clinician. For people using the system and whānau.
- Understanding the evidence: what clinical data actually says about cannabis for pain, epilepsy, and symptom relief; how to read a systematic review; how to separate established findings from marketing claims; and where the gaps are.
- Cannabinoids and preparations: a clear map of THC, CBD, CBDA, terpenes, oils, flower, capsules, and the GMP products available here.
- Safety and daily life: adverse effects, drug interactions, driving law, workplace policy, pregnancy and breastfeeding, and practical safety around storage and administration.
- Costs and access: what preparations cost, who funds them, and how to navigate the system.
How to navigate:
- If you are a person seeking treatment or whānau: start with The patient pathway, then go to Cannabinoids and preparations for product types, then Safety and daily life for legal and practical boundaries.
- If you are a clinician: start with Understanding the evidence, then the Regulatory framework page for detail; the product landscape page will help match preparations to individual needs.
- If you are a pharmacist: start with the Safety and daily life page, then the product landscape page, and use the scheme page for verification requirements.
- If you are a sector reader: start with the Regulatory framework page, then the Evidence page, then the Product landscape page.
What this resource is and is not
This is an independent, evidence-led front door to New Zealand’s medicinal cannabis system. It is not the former MedCan Summit or its organiser. There is no affiliation with any company, brand, prescriber, or advocacy group, and no payment is accepted for listings or endorsements.
The job is to help find a way through the system: the law, the available options, the clinical support, the treatment pathway, and the practicalities of daily life. No medical advice is given, no products are sold, and no specific preparation is recommended. Decisions about treatment belong with a doctor or pharmacist.
The editorial method is simple: every factual claim is traced to a named source and year, and where support is weak or contested, that is stated. Primary sources are read directly (New Zealand legislation, Medsafe decisions, the NZ Formulary, Healthify, peer-reviewed clinical guidance, and systematic reviews). No dosing advice is given, and nothing on this page is a substitute for a consultation with a qualified prescriber.
Safety and driving: read this first
Cannabis can impair driving. In New Zealand, it is illegal to drive while impaired by any drug, including prescribed medicinal cannabis. The law sets no safe level of THC in the blood for driving; any detectable impairment can lead to prosecution. If a prescriber has authorised a preparation containing THC, discuss driving restrictions explicitly before getting behind the wheel. Do not drive until a doctor or pharmacist confirms it is safe to do so.
Adverse effects vary by cannabinoid, dose, and the person taking it. Common effects include dizziness, fatigue, dry mouth, and changes in appetite or mood. More serious reactions can include anxiety, paranoia, or cardiovascular strain. Anyone starting a new preparation should be monitored, and any unexpected symptom should be reported to a prescriber immediately.
How the editorial process works
The editorial method is simple: every factual claim in this dossier is tied to a named source and year. Where the data is uncertain, that is stated. Where a claim is a marketing claim, it is labelled as such. No dosing advice, treatment recommendations, or product endorsements are given. If you are a person seeking treatment, a whānau member, or a clinician, the official resources needed are pointed to, and then the decision is made with the prescriber.
This page answers one question: how does medicinal cannabis actually work in New Zealand, and where to start? It then points to the six pillar pages that own the details. This page is a map, not the territory.
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