G/TBT/N/NZL/131  
12 March 2024  
(24-2238) 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 of Health (MoH)  
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 indi cated if different from above:   
TBT Enquiry Point of New Zealand  
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE)  
Level 6, 15 Stout Street, Wellington 6011;  
Email: wto@standards.govt.nz  
Phone: +(644) 89 65126  
Website: https://www.mbie.govt.nz/business -and-employment/business/trade -and-
tariffs/trade -barriers/  
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 (plants in HS chapter 6, plants and seeds in HS chapter 12, oils in HS chapter 
15, etc.).  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Proposed 
changes to pesticides for medicinal cannabis; (2 page(s), in English)  
6. Descr iption of content:  Medicinal cannabis products supplied in New Zealand are 
required to meet the pesticides requirements outlined in regulation 18 of the Misuse of 
Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Regulations 2019  (the Regulations). However, this 
requirement is currently unworkable, and changes are being proposed to allow the use of 
certain active ingredients / agricultural  chemicals to be used on cannabis intended to be 
used in products for inhalation, and to provide a mechanism where pesticides that are 
authorised for use on food crops can be used where products are intended for other routes 
of administration. The Ministry  of Health is proposing a technical amendment to regulation 
18 to broaden the pesticides that are permitted for use on medicinal cannabis in products 
and cannabis -based ingredients in New Zealand.  
To manage any health risk of broadening the use of pesticides on cannabis for medicinal 
use, the Ministry of Health is proposing to require that residues of pesticide active 
ingredients meet the calculated maximum limits outlined in Chapter 2.8.13 of the 
European Pharmacopoeia 11th edition, version 11.0, where the pesticide is not on the G/TBT/N/NZL/131  
 
- 2 - 
 
  permitted pesticide active ingredient list and is for use on cannabis intended for routes of 
administration other than inhalation.  
For further information on the proposed u pdates to the Regulations please see the 
proactively released cabinet material at: Cabinet material: Improving the Medicinal 
Cannabis Scheme to better support economic and research opportunities | Ministry of 
Health NZ . 
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  This update aims to provide growers of medicinal cannabis with options for 
pest control while maintaining the safety of patients using medicinal cannabis.; Protection 
of human health or safety; Protection of anim al or plant life or health  
8. Relevant documents:   
Cabinet material: Improving the Medicinal Can nabis Scheme to better support economic 
and research opportunities | Ministry of Health NZ  
Misuse of Drugs (Medici nal Cannabis) Regulations 2019  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  11 April 2024  
Proposed date of entry into force:  15 April 2024  
10. Final date for comments:  Not Applicable  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [X] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body: