Is Nitrous Oxide legal in New Zealand?
- Legal status
- Nitrous oxide is a medicine under the Medicines Act 1981 when intended for therapeutic use, but a psychoactive substance under the Psychoactive Substances Act 2013 when supplied for a recreational effect; no recreational product is approved, so selling or possessing-for-sale nitrous oxide for a psychoactive purpose is illegal, and from 5 June 2026 importing it requires a permit from the Director-General of Health.
- Consequences if caught
- Selling, offering or possessing-for-sale for recreational use carries up to 2 years' imprisonment (individual) or fines up to $500,000 (company) under the Psychoactive Substances Act. No death penalty (non-DP).
- If prescribed or medical
- Therapeutic nitrous oxide is a lawful medical/anaesthetic gas; genuine culinary use of small food cartridges is permitted.
- Documentation
- Large 'whipped-cream' canisters over 10 g of nitrous oxide are treated as psychoactive substances; importing nitrous oxide without a permit is unlawful from 5 June 2026.
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 →