Is CBD legal in New Zealand?
- Legal status
- CBD (cannabidiol) is a prescription medicine, not a controlled drug: a 'CBD product' is statutorily defined in s 2A of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 as one where THC and specified psychoactive substances are no more than 2% of total cannabinoids, and a product exceeding that 2% ceiling is a Class B1 controlled drug.
- Consequences if caught
- Selling or possessing CBD without a prescription is unlawful possession of a prescription medicine, and a product breaching the 2% definition is prosecuted as a controlled drug.
- If prescribed or medical
- Doctors may prescribe CBD since the 2017 amendment; Epidyolex has a Medsafe data sheet and Sativex is available. Distinct from cannabis (plant Class C, oil Class B).
- Documentation
- CBD is a prescription medicine — carry the prescription; a product over the 2% ceiling is a controlled drug that paperwork cannot legalise.
Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with New Zealand’s embassy or official drug authority before traveling; penalties can be severe, including imprisonment.
Before you travel
Verify current rules with the destination country’s official drug authority and your own country’s embassy before traveling. Find the destination’s U.S. embassy & official country guidance →
Non-U.S. travelers: check your own government’s travel advisory and embassy.
If you’re detained or arrested abroad
Contact your own country’s embassy or consulate in the destination immediately — not the destination’s authorities. U.S. citizens: contact the nearest U.S. embassy/consulate and the U.S. State Department at +1-202-501-4444 (from abroad). If a U.S. citizen is arrested or detained abroad →