37% Of Medical Cannabis Patients In New Zealand Have A Prescription

Modern medical cannabis was first legalized in New Zealand in 2018, with the Medicinal Cannabis Scheme launching in 2020. Since that time, a growing number of medical cannabis patients have received prescriptions to safely access medical cannabis products.

“In 2022/23, fewer than one in 10 medical users obtained a prescription for their cannabis. That had climbed to 37% in 2024, according to the annual New Zealand Drug Trends Survey (NZDTS) conducted by the Shore and Whariki Research Centre at Massey University’s College of Health.” states Cannabiz in its original reporting.

“Of 1,742 respondents who claimed all or most of their cannabis use was for medical purposes, 60% said they had not approached a health professional, down from 85% in 2022/23 and 93% in 2020, when the Medicinal Cannabis Scheme launched in New Zealand.” the outlet also reported.

Initially, all legal medical cannabis products sold in New Zealand were imported. However, in September 2022, New Zealand’s government granted permission for domestic medical cannabis cultivation.

Voters in New Zealand decided on a recreational cannabis legalization measure in 2020, with the measure being narrowly defeated on Election Day. At the time, only two countries had adopted adult-use legalization measures – Uruguay and Canada.

Since the failed legalization vote in New Zealand, Malta, Luxembourg, Germany, and South Africa have approved national legalization measures. Additionally, nearly five dozen countries have now adopted medical cannabis legalization measures.

A recent survey of more than 23,000 New Zealanders found that 60% of respondents reported that they consumed less alcohol after beginning cannabis use. The survey also found that of people who report using cannabis and other substances, 60% of respondents reported consuming less synthetic cannabinoids, 44% reported using less morphine, and 40% reported using less methamphetamine.