G/TBT/N/NZL/129  
2 October 2023  
(23-6605) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  NEW ZEALAND  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:   
Ministry for Health  
PO Box 5013  
Wellington 6140  
New Zealand  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated  if different from above:   
TBT Enquiry Point of New Zealand  
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment  
Level 6, 15 Stout Street, Wellington 6011;  
Email: wto@standards.govt.nz  
Phone: (+64) 4 896 5711  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [  ], 5.6.2 [  ], 5.7.1 [  ], 3.2 [  ], 7.2 [  ], 
other :  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Medicinal 
cannabis, including products under HS Chapter 12 and 29.  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Guideline on 
the regulation of medicinal cannabis in New Zealand: Part 3  (Section 3.2 .2) 
Guideline on the Regulation of Therapeutic Products in New Zealand: Labelling of 
Medicines and Related Products  (Section 2.2 and Figure A).; (33 page(s), in English), (19 
page(s), in English)  
6. Description of content:  Medicinal cannabis products supplied in New Zealand are 
required to meet the labelling requirements outlined in regulation 19 of the Misuse of 
Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Regulations 2019. The Ministry of Health is proposing a 
technical amendment to regulat ion 19 to add a reference to the requirement for medicinal 
cannabis products to display a controlled drug classification statement on the label to 
align with the labelling of all other controlled drugs supplied as medicines in New Zealand. 
This requirement  is already in place and enforced under the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 
1977. The proposed change is a clarifying amendment and not a substantive change in 
regulation. The technical amendment will reflect the existing guidance issued in Section 
3.2.2. of t he 'Guideline on the regulation of medicinal cannabis in New Zealand: Part 3' 
and the 'Guideline on the Regulation of Therapeutic Products in New Zealand Part 5' 
Section 2.2 and Figure A.  G/TBT/N/NZL/129  
 
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  7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problem s where 
applicable:  This technical update to the legislation is intended to clarify a requirement 
which already exists and is enforced.  
The requirement for medicinal cannabis products to display a controlled drug classification 
statement ensures that there  is transparency so participants in the supply chain are aware 
about how the product should be recorded, handled and stored.  
8. Relevant documents:   
Guideline on the regulation of medicinal cannabis in New Zealand: Part 3  
Guideline on the Regulation of Therapeutic Products in New Zealand: Labelling of 
Medicines and Related Products  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  December 2023 
Proposed date of entry into force:  January 2024  
10. Final date for comments:  60 days from notification  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [X] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body: