Is Kratom legal in New Zealand?
- Legal status
- Kratom is restricted in New Zealand — Mitragyna speciosa is a prescription medicine under the Medicines Act 1981, so it is lawful only on prescription and may not be used in herbal remedies; Medsafe controls the plant and mitragynine together.
- Consequences if caught
- Selling or supplying a prescription medicine without authority is an offence under the Medicines Act 1981; unauthorised import is likewise restricted.
- If prescribed or medical
- Lawful only as a prescription medicine — there is no marketed product, so any use requires an individual prescription.
- Documentation
- No general personal-import allowance for herbal or self-medication use; import requires the prescription-medicine pathway.
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 →