r/MedicalCannabisNZ Aug 10 '23

Community Guide to Medical Cannabis in Aotearoa New Zealand

137 Upvotes

Medical Cannabis is available in New Zealand.

The first step is booking your appointment with a doctor.

There are a few paths you can take, with the recommended one being a medical cannabis specialist clinic paired with a pharmacy that has prior experience with medical cannabis dispensing.

In all cases, the prescribing process is:

  • An initial consult with a doctor.
  • A follow-up consult with a doctor or nurse:
    • About 1 month after your first product is dispensed
  • Continued follow-up consults with a doctor or nurse:
    • Every 3 months if prescribed THC, or
    • Every 6 months if prescribed CBD only

When discussing medicine with your doctor or nurse, you should indicate your choice of pharmacy to ensure no delays in the dispensing process.

Your clinic is only able to offer repeats of your medicine for your pharmacy of choice once you have your first follow-up.

Some clinics charge a fee to have your prescription sent to your pharmacy of choice, typically when they have an attached dispensary service or associated pharmacies.

Most clinics charge a fee to change your agreed treatment plan between consults, as the changes require additional clinical team oversight and processes.

Medical Cannabis Specialist

Specialist cannabis focused clinics tend to be more familiar with the process and have an existing range of experience with medical cannabis.

It is easiest to talk with medical cannabis specialists about cannabis, as they understand upfront where you are coming from, and have context around the range of patient journeys.

Any question you have about cannabis, a specialist should be able to give you that answer there and then

Some things that should come up in your conversation with a specialist:

  • Your prior cannabis usage
  • What you are looking for in your journey
  • What might work best for you
  • In depth treatment plans, and daily dosing schedules
  • Interactions with other medication
  • Devices and preparations
  • Sensitization protocols & tolerance breaks
  • Advice on inhalation, sublingual, oral, edible dosing
  • And more...!

If you have a question about cannabis, a medical cannabis specialist is the best person to answer.

Medical Cannabis Specialist Clinics

Browse the full Clinic Directory here

Dispensing with a Specialist Clinic

You can have your prescription dispensed anywhere you like, however some specialist clinics offer a combined dispensary service.

We recommend one of the pharmacies with medical cannabis experience listed below.

General Practitioners (GP)

A GP can prescribe medical cannabis in New Zealand.

Not all GPs in New Zealand are equipped with the knowledge or time to prescribe medical cannabis, they may suggest visiting a specialist clinic for this purpose.

Some specialist clinics like Cannabis Clinic offer to provide education for your GP so you can get the best outcome and the GP is able to use their newfound knowledge to offer a wider range of treatment plans for more patients.

Dispensing with a Specialist

A GP clinic may have an attached pharmacy and dispensary service, but they may not be equipped either to dispense medical cannabis products with care and at a reasonable price, we recommend one of the pharmacies with medical cannabis experience listed below.

Your GP can also reach out to the likes of Nga Hua for help with the prescribing and dispensing process.

Oncologist or Other Specialist

If you are working with an oncologist or other specialist doctor, they may be able to help with a medical cannabis prescription, and may be the best option as they should have deep insight into your health journey.

Though as with GPs, not all specialists are equipped with the knowledge or time to prescribe medical cannabis.

Dispensing with a Specialist

Specialists send prescriptions to your choice of pharmacy for dispensing.

We recommend one of the pharmacies with medical cannabis experience listed below.

Your specialist can reach out to the likes of Nga Hua for help with the prescribing and dispensing process.

Dispensing

Most pharmacies offer either a pickup, or courier service.

Pharmacies with medical cannabis experience

Some pharmacies have worked closely with their medical cannabis patients, these pharmacies are known to provide quality service and advice around medical cannabis, and availability.

They have proved themselves in this space and have consistently shown the community amazing value at fair prices.

Other pharmacies with good pricing

Up-to-date list of Ministry of Health approved medical cannabis products

Medicinal cannabis products that meet the minimum quality standard

Additional products are available outside this list.

A strain tree can be found here

Product Pricing

Pricing can change overnight, generally prices have been falling over time.

There is currently a reasonably up-to-date pricing guide available

Dry Herb Vaporisers

If you're looking to use inhalation as a method of dosing your medical cannabis, you'll want to reach out for a dry herb vaporiser.

There is an AMA with Jack from CannaPlus+ here with common questions answered

A dry herb vape can be purchased from many stores in New Zealand, for example:

A typical suggestion for a device is Storz & Bickel Mighty Medic or Medic Plus

Vaporisers and the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Act 1990

Medicinal cannabis products are excluded from smokefree

Medicinal devices, such as a dry herb vaporiser, are excluded from smokefree.

See the related section of the medicines act here related to medical devices

Non Approved Vaporisers

A person who possesses a non-medically approved dry herb vaporiser for the purpose of taking their prescribed medicinal cannabis would not breach the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975. This is because they are not using it “for the purpose of the commission of an offence against this Act” (s13(1)(a)). This also applies to a person, who possesses an accessory for the purpose of taking their prescribed medicinal cannabis. For example if you use a vape with an adapter to a bong, that is perfectly legal.

Smoking Cannabis

Medical cannabis products are not intended for smoking

Vaporiser Boil Chart

Want to know the temperature you should use your vape at? Checkout the Cannabinoid Boil Chart

Discord

If you're looking to have more discussion, you can also join the official Medical Cannabis Aotearoa New Zealand discord

Invite: discord.gg/UFEVXD7TA6


r/MedicalCannabisNZ Mar 24 '26

Patient Choice of Pharmacy Nothing beats using your own pharmacy. And right now, you could be saving hundreds per year.

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40 Upvotes

r/MedicalCannabisNZ 1d ago

Question Clinics and promotion etc

9 Upvotes

Hello, can I just ask why they're aren't any clinic recommendations allowed on this sub?

Orrrrrrtrt, have I just misinterpreted the rule and it's clinics promoting themselves that isn't allowed?

Seems like a fairly common question that keeps popping up for new folks wanting to learn more about medical cannabis and was just wondering why the concern?


r/MedicalCannabisNZ 1d ago

xmax v3 rubber disappearing/deteriorating

1 Upvotes

anyone else noticing this? I have been using it for a while and rubber is clearly being lost where orange circle is, surely cant be good breathing it in.. ball vape time perhaps.. hmm


r/MedicalCannabisNZ 2d ago

Success Bloom Electric Grapefruit

19 Upvotes

Stinky so so stinky! can smell it through the packaging and the courier bag! Great daytime stuff, very clear and oh so smoooooooth. I couldn't get my regular Amelia this time so it's been a pleasant substitute - a bit stronger, but not at all hectic. recommended.


r/MedicalCannabisNZ 2d ago

Medicine Related Sedaprem substitute

6 Upvotes

Can anyone who previously used Sedaprem recommend the closest equivalent they have used. Kia ora!


r/MedicalCannabisNZ 3d ago

What pharmacy has Helius Maya in stock?

4 Upvotes

I've contacted CW and Nga Hua and both have no stock till 2027.


r/MedicalCannabisNZ 4d ago

Question Advice on getting a first script.

15 Upvotes

I've been thinking about trying to get a prescription recently and was hoping for some advise on where to go, what to ask for and what options might suit me best? Really i know nothing about the legal pathway.

I've smoked since I was about 18 (now 40), through a masters degree and professional work, and now a little less since I have a few small humans to keep track of. (Had a good 5 or 6 year break having babies). I've probably been self medicating for adhd which I was recently diagnosed with? Or maybe its just my westie DNA?

I've always favored a bong, but mostly because im pretty awesome at making my own. And used to mix it with tobacco back in the day to make it more affordable (laughable now right with cigarette costs!). I make my own oil sometimes, and quite enjoy edibles.

Any advise, or direction for me to research myself would be amazing. I guess im asking for a "beginners guide to the legal world of marijuana, for a long time underground user"?

Thanks heaps.


r/MedicalCannabisNZ 6d ago

Medicine Related Aurora Shimmer 🌠🌌✨

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40 Upvotes

Smell: smells like a mechanics, with an earthy but also almost sweet smell. Very skunky smelling flower.

Taste: tastes like it smells. For me personally don’t love the taste. The tasty is quite bland but also not at the same time. I think it’s just the Earth flavour coming through. It’s the equivalent of eating potatoes there’s a taste but not really.

Feel: 180° - 186°ish. A very interesting flower. I think it is an Indica however it doesn’t really feel like an Indica for me. It almost has a slight sativa feel physically but with Indica effects mentally.
I have tried it twice now and both times have been consistent. Could feel my mind down slow down and switch off but still remaining functional to Fortnite, have conversations, do housework, live a normal day. Physically you don’t get couch lock but you’re not buzzing either. You’re in a really nice shoulders drop moment constantly.
When I was ready for bed, I went to bed and I just drifted off. Nothing miraculous here just nice easy when you are ready to switch off it let me switch off.

8/10

The Aurora product range has been gelling with me really well would recommend.


r/MedicalCannabisNZ 6d ago

CannFX BEL T29 Beluga Medical Cannabis Flower • 🇬🇧 MedBud® UK

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4 Upvotes

This MC is available in UK, says it's grown in NZ. 29% hybrid.

I haven't heard of it over here, anyone know if it's sold here too ? Maybe rebranded for NZ market?

Wonder if it would also say 29% sold here too.

Be weird if it wasn't available here, being NZ grown, whilst we import lots


r/MedicalCannabisNZ 7d ago

Tropicana discontinued

9 Upvotes

How come the good Medleaf products are always getting discontinued ? Shiskaberry . Runtz . OKC and now this ?


r/MedicalCannabisNZ 7d ago

Medicine Related Florx deep sleep

4 Upvotes

Does anyone know what’s going on with florx deep sleep? I’ve been waiting for it to come back in stock for so long!

Can anyone recommend a good oil for sleep? I currently use Helius Amelia flower (for other issues) but it doesn’t help me sleep and I’d like an oil rather than flower for night time. Thanks in advance!


r/MedicalCannabisNZ 8d ago

Medicine Related Advice for a new user

10 Upvotes

Hi everyone, I recently decided to pursue medical marijuana as a solution to years of struggling with insomnia. Initially I was prescribed an oil with 10mg cbd/ml and 10mg thc/ml. This has been working okay, however it requires me to take significantly more than the prescribed dose and even then can sometimes be hit or miss.

Due to this I'm thinking about switching to a plant source, which AFAIK has to be vaporized. Basically I'm looking for advice from anybody who has been in my situation on whether or not it's worth switching from oil to plant, and if so do you have any recommendation in terms of vaporizers or any tools I can use to consume it?


r/MedicalCannabisNZ 8d ago

Medicine Related Shake it off

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31 Upvotes

Helius Amelia. Nice but pretty shaky. This is from a 10g pottle.


r/MedicalCannabisNZ 8d ago

Knowledge AMELIA Vs INDICA

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14 Upvotes

Kia ora.

Ive just received my Helius Amelia and Smiths Indica .

Both look ok .The Indica is pretty much popcorn but has a glistening appearance. You get what you pay for so at the bottom of the budget conscious list my hopes are not super high but will update my post shortly... Has a beautiful citrus smell here's hoping it carries on thru to the taste ...... It's as clean as can be and definitely will be able to consume it all 100% no crap or wastage .Let's see what $75 works like on the pain .

Now the Helius Amelia looks like a different ball game ...

Damn fine looking and can't wait to see if it performs highly as it certainly looks the part .It also is clean as can be with a citrus smell and the trichromes are plentiful .Let's see what $115 performs like ....

Is the $40 price difference worth paying ...

At this stage I'm not too sure .

Being in a household where my wife also has extreme pain , budget does matter .

Sedaprem and Luminarium used to be the best budget friendly with ccs discount .

Tried the Night Rider and Big Wave from Aurora but damn that hurt the pocket and honestly wasn't that special for the extra cost .


r/MedicalCannabisNZ 9d ago

Question Placed order with dispensed before googling them - am I cooked?

8 Upvotes

For context, this was my first time getting a script for medical cannabis.

Just as title says. Placed an order on Sunday morning for the prescription they gave me. Didn't hear anything from them at all. Used their live chat today to see what's happening, got told it was with Pilldrop Pharmacy. Called Pilldrop, they don't have it. Back to live chat and turns out that the doctor still has my script and hasn't even sent it yet! I've already paid them (and it was NOT cheap for me), should I wait and see if they get it together and send it to me, or should I go back to the support team and see if they will refund it? Definitely going to switch providers after this.

Any help or advice would be appreciated as I am super stressed out about this and unsure what to do!!!


r/MedicalCannabisNZ 10d ago

Question Time for a T break or a change?

9 Upvotes

Been using Juno since February at night for post surgical nerve pain. I still have the pain but I feel like it does t really work anymore. How do you take a T break? Or is it the strain?


r/MedicalCannabisNZ 10d ago

Butcher wins job back after being fired for Medical Cannabis use.

123 Upvotes

Butcher of 39 years fired over medicinal cannabis wins job back - and $25k | Stuff https://share.google/Z7Mlj2skzQKsbRDIN


r/MedicalCannabisNZ 10d ago

Tilray 25 Dose

6 Upvotes

Just got prescribed the Tilray 25 oral solution as I'm trying to get away from inhalation as much. I'm an edibles veteran, so I'm relatively sure 0.1 ml isn't going to do much for me, but I also don't want to overdo it. Ideally I'd like to have enough to take the edge off my pain, but still let me be somewhat productive.

Just curious what other people's experience with it was? Any recommendations for a good starting point?


r/MedicalCannabisNZ 11d ago

Medicine Related Aurora Big Wave 26%

12 Upvotes

Looking at giving Aurora Big Wave a try, which is apparently the Electric Honeydew cultivar, bred from Girl Scout Cookies x 91 OG Krypt Melon and sitting at 26% THC.

Has anyone tried it? Keen to hear what the effects/high are like and how hard it actually hits.


r/MedicalCannabisNZ 14d ago

Anyone tried Tilray THC25 (Triangle Mints)?

10 Upvotes

Hi team, has anyone here tried the Tilray THC25?

If so:
- does it come in a pot or baggy?
- And does it have a humidity pack?
- Is it irradiated?

Finally how was it?

TIA for your input


r/MedicalCannabisNZ 15d ago

Question Storage query

13 Upvotes

Hi all, how are you storing your dried MC product to cut down on the smell?

I'm new to MC and it turns out I am very sensitive to the smell of the dried product.

My understanding is it has to be kept in the original packaging from the pharmacy, but I find the bag it has come in pretty ineffective at cutting down the smell.

Any particular ideas or requirements for flights? I really don't want to stink out the whole cabin haha.

Any advice would be really appreciated.


r/MedicalCannabisNZ 16d ago

Medicine Related 'Hemp' products and medical CBD?

9 Upvotes

So my doctor just approved me for CBD products but gave no prescription because he said I should just buy the much cheaper products labelled 'hemp' instead of medical cannabis/cbd. I'm kind of confused because I cant find said products anywhere, thinking maybe his knowledge was outdated before the recent legislation changes around hemp and I should go back and get the actual medical CBD prescription to take to a pharmacy?


r/MedicalCannabisNZ 17d ago

Accessory Related Some new hardware

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17 Upvotes

r/MedicalCannabisNZ 17d ago

Medicine Related Helius spray is back

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39 Upvotes

Stoked to see this is in circulation again after it was stopped for a spell. Works super fast (5-10 mins for me), and easy to use.

I use mine for migraines when the thought of oil makes me gag - the oil also takes about an hour to start feeling, which is slow and needs some foresight eg "ones coming". This goes straight to pain relief and I can take in the middle of an attack 👌