For overseas visitors
Cannabis & New Zealand, for visitors.
Coming to Aotearoa? Here's the honest, up-to-date picture: what's legal and what isn't, whether you can access medical cannabis as a visitor, and the customs rules for bringing prescribed medicines across the border.
The short version
There is no legal recreational cannabisin New Zealand — not for locals, and not for tourists. Don't expect Amsterdam-style cafés or US-style dispensaries; they don't exist here. Cannabis remains illegal under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975. Police can choose a health-centred response to minor personal possession, but it is still an offence and you should not rely on discretion.
What's legal vs illegal for tourists
| Thing | Status for visitors |
|---|---|
| Buying recreational cannabis | Illegal — no legal market exists |
| Possessing/using cannabis | Illegal (an offence under the MoDA 1975) |
| Buying CBD over the counter | No — CBD is a prescription/pharmacist-supply medicine |
| Bringing prescribed cannabis meds | Allowed within limits (see customs rules below) |
| Hemp seed foods | Legal to buy and consume |
| Dry-herb vaporizer hardware | Legal to buy (R18) — the device, not the cannabis |
| Importing cannabis seeds | Illegal — Class C controlled drug |
Can visitors access medical cannabis here?
Not in any practical way for a short stay. New Zealand's Medicinal Cannabis Scheme requires a prescription from an NZ-registered doctorand dispensing through a New Zealand pharmacy. There's no fast-track for tourists, and no dispensary you can simply walk into. If you have an ongoing prescription from home, the realistic option is to bring a permitted supply with you.
Bringing prescribed medicines into NZ
If you take prescribed medical cannabis, you may be able to bring it in if you follow the rules. Based on NZ Customs guidance (page updated 9 July 2025) and the Ministry of Health:
- Controlled-drug medicines: bring up to a one-month supply.
- Keep everything in its original, labelled container.
- Carry your prescription or a letter from your doctor.
- Declare it on arrival — don't try to bring it through undeclared.
- You cannot bring medicines for someone else.
- US-supplied medicinal cannabis (other than CBD) cannot be carried in or out of NZ.
A word on driving
New Zealand is rolling out random roadside oral-fluid (saliva) drug testing. THC can be detected long after any impairment has passed, and a prescription does not exempt you from the rules. If you use cannabis medically, read our guide on impairment vs detection.
Visitor FAQ
Can tourists buy recreational cannabis in New Zealand?
No. New Zealand has no legal recreational or retail cannabis market for anyone — residents or visitors. Recreational cannabis is illegal under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975.
Can a visitor get a medical cannabis prescription while in NZ?
It is impractical for short-term visitors. The Medicinal Cannabis Scheme requires a prescription from an NZ-registered doctor and dispensing through a New Zealand pharmacy — there are no walk-in dispensaries.
Can I bring my prescribed medical cannabis into New Zealand?
If it is a prescribed controlled-drug medicine, you may bring up to a one-month supply in its original container, carry your prescription or a doctor's letter, and declare it on arrival. US-supplied medicinal cannabis (other than CBD) cannot be carried into or out of NZ. You cannot bring medicines for a third party.
Is CBD legal for tourists to bring or buy?
CBD is a prescription/pharmacist-supply medicine in New Zealand. Many products sold overseas as 'CBD' contain too much THC to meet the NZ definition and are treated as controlled drugs. Check the rules before you travel.
Go deeper
Read the full breakdown for visitors and the wider NZ law picture.