Overview

The regulatory frameworks that Australia and New Zealand have developed for their respective legal cannabis industries share some top-level similarities; however, there are key differences, which could become more pronounced in the medium term as the two systems evolve. 

On the question of adult-use, New Zealand opted for an all-or-nothing popular referendum for full-scale legalisation in 2020 which, upon rejection, has rendered the development of an adult-use regulatory framework unlikely for the foreseeable future. 

Australia meanwhile has seen a groundswell in public opinion on the issue manifest into legislative steps taken by representatives at the regional and federal levels, and is likely to see an adult-use market develop incrementally in the coming years. 

On CBD, in contrast to most countries with significant medical cannabis access, both have taken the approach that the cannabinoid should be accessed via medical channels only, though both have recently passed legislation to make CBD products containing a low dose of THC more easily accessible than other higher-THC cannabinoid products. 

The two countries are undertaking reforms to their medical cannabis regulations that are the inverse of each other – New Zealand to lower the product quality standards required of domestic producers in order to export from the country, and Australia to raise the product quality standards required of international producers in order to import into the country. Both of these efforts at reform are taken with the same goal, to level the playing field between domestic and international producers of medical cannabis. 

These reforms could result in Australian and New Zealand producers becoming more competitive in the context of the global cannabis industry, and are significant for any company involved in either country.

Contents

• Introduction
• Australia: Regulatory Landscape
  • Adult-Use
    • Regional/Territorial Legislation
    • Federal Legalisation
  • CBD
  • Industrial Hemp
    • Commercial Hemp Regulations by State
  • Medicinal 
    • Overview
    • Prescribers & Patient Access
    • Therapeutic Goods
    • Licensing & Permits
• New Zealand: Regulatory Landscape
  • Adult-Use
  • CBD
  • Medicinal 
    • Overview
    • Product Definitions
    • Minimum Quality Standard
    • Changes to Regulations
    • Licensing
• Conclusion
• Acronyms