1.

Notifying Member: NEW ZEALAND

If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):

2.

Agency responsible:

Ministry of Health (MoH)

PO Box 5013

Wellington 6140

New Zealand

Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, email and website addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:

TBT Enquiry Point of New Zealand

Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE)

Level 6, 15 Stout Street, Wellington 6011;

Email: wto@standards.govt.nz

Phone: +(644) 89 65126

Website: https://www.mbie.govt.nz/business-and-employment/business/trade-and-tariffs/trade-barriers/

3.

Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [ ], 5.6.2 [ ], 5.7.1 [ ], 3.2 [ ], 7.2 [ ], other:

4.

Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable): Medicinal cannabis (plants in HS chapter 6, plants and seeds in HS chapter 12, oils in HS chapter 15, etc.).

5.

Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: Proposed changes to pesticides for medicinal cannabis; (2 page(s), in English)

6.

Description of content: Medicinal cannabis products supplied in New Zealand are required to meet the pesticides requirements outlined in regulation 18 of the Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Regulations 2019 (the Regulations). However, this requirement is currently unworkable, and changes are being proposed to allow the use of certain active ingredients / agricultural chemicals to be used on cannabis intended to be used in products for inhalation, and to provide a mechanism where pesticides that are authorised for use on food crops can be used where products are intended for other routes of administration. The Ministry of Health is proposing a technical amendment to regulation 18 to broaden the pesticides that are permitted for use on medicinal cannabis in products and cannabis-based ingredients in New Zealand.

To manage any health risk of broadening the use of pesticides on cannabis for medicinal use, the Ministry of Health is proposing to require that residues of pesticide active ingredients meet the calculated maximum limits outlined in Chapter 2.8.13 of the European Pharmacopoeia 11th edition, version 11.0, where the pesticide is not on the permitted pesticide active ingredient list and is for use on cannabis intended for routes of administration other than inhalation.

For further information on the proposed updates to the Regulations please see the proactively released cabinet material at: Cabinet material: Improving the Medicinal Cannabis Scheme to better support economic and research opportunities | Ministry of Health NZ.

7.

Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable: This update aims to provide growers of medicinal cannabis with options for pest control while maintaining the safety of patients using medicinal cannabis.; Protection of human health or safety; Protection of animal or plant life or health

8.

Relevant documents:

Cabinet material: Improving the Medicinal Cannabis Scheme to better support economic and research opportunities | Ministry of Health NZ

Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Regulations 2019

9.

Proposed date of adoption: 11 April 2024

Proposed date of entry into force: 15 April 2024

10.

Final date for comments: Not Applicable

11.

Texts available from: National enquiry point [X] or address, telephone and fax numbers and email and website addresses, if available, of other body: