Industrial hemp regulations to be reviewed

Regulation Minister David Seymour has announced a comprehensive review of the outdated and burdensome regulations surrounding industrial hemp (iHemp) production.

Industrial hemp is currently classified as a Class C controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act, despite containing minimal THC and posing little to no risk of misuse. 

The Ministry for Regulation has received extensive feedback on the regulations hindering the industry, both through our review into Agricultural and Horticultural Products and the red tape tipline. 

We’ll be working with MedSafe and the Ministry of Health to reassess these nearly twenty-year-old regulations.

Minister Seymour will present reform options to Cabinet later this year, taking a new approach that balances risk management with unlocking opportunities for growers.

A 2023 report by MBIE highlighted hemp as a key opportunity for New Zealand's bioeconomy, with the New Zealand Hemp Industries Association (NZHIA) projecting potential earnings of $2 billion by 2030, contingent on regulatory reform.

Minister's press release: Industrial hemp regulations to be reviewedopen_in_new