A medicinal cannabis product is a prescription medicine which is either dried cannabis or a pharmaceutical dosage form containing one or more ingredients extracted from the Cannabis plant.

It involves using the plant or its extracts to alleviate symptoms or manage certain medical conditions. The cannabinoids found in cannabis, such as THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol), have potential medicinal properties that can affect pain, inflammation, appetite, mood, and other physiological functions.

It is important to note that it is not a first line treatment but can be used as adjunctive symptom management when other medications have not worked.

Medicinal cannabis products are only available to patients on prescription from a doctor. All products that meet the Ministry of Heaths minimum quality standard in New Zealand can be found here.