Australasia

Australia: The Greens party intends to introduce a bill to legalise recreational cannabis, press reports. The party is currently drafting the bill, which it expects to introduce before the end of the year. Though the Greens have just four seats in the 151-seat House of Representatives and 12 in the 76-seat Senate, the bill is expected to have the support of other parties.

New Zealand: Two CBD liquids for oral use, Helius CBD25 Full Spectrum and Helius CBD100 Full Spectrum, have been verified by the Medical Cannabis Agency as meeting the minimum quality standard required for them to be supplied in New Zealand.

Australia: Members of Western Australia’s state parliament are planning to introduce a bill to allow possession of up to 50 g of cannabis and the growing of up to four plants at home, press reports. Brian Walker and Sophia Moermond of the Legalise Cannabis WA party are working on a draft that could be made public in the next three months. It would then be subject to public consultation and possible revision. They expect the revised version of the bill to be introduced in the upper house, the Legislative Council, in the second half of 2023. Walker expects public support for the bill, but said it may face a difficult passage since the state government has already said it has no plans to legalise cannabis.

New Zealand: After criticism from the industry for being too restrictive, the Health Ministry has said it will review the Medicinal Cannabis Scheme and release a consultation document later this month, press reports. The scheme came into operation in 2020, intended to improve patients’ access to quality medicinal cannabis.

Fiji: Economy minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has announced the government’s intention of amending the 2004 Illicit Drugs Control Act to allow hemp with a THC concentration of up to 1%, press reports. The plan includes importing hemp seeds from Canada until Fifi can produce its own seeds and establish a hemp export industry.

New Zealand: A second new medical cannabis flower from MW Pharma Limited, trading as NUBU Pharmaceuticals, has been approved by the Ministry of Health. The product, which contains 200 mg/g (20%) THC, is intended to be inhaled via a vaporiser.

Australia: The pressure group Legalise Cannabis WA is urging state regulation to allow possession of up to 50 g of dried cannabis and the growing of up to four plants per household for recreational use, press reports. However, Western Australia’s premier Mark McGowan responded: “Having freely available cannabis is not our policy.” He said the Labor Party would use its control of both state houses to block a bill if it is put forward.

Australia: The New South Wales Legislative Council is conducting an inquiry into a bill introduced by the Greens to allow medical cannabis patients to drive, press reports. Council member Cate Faehrmann, who introduced the bill, tweeted: “Our driving laws need to change. Medicinal cannabis is legal but patients are still charged for driving with the mere presence of THC in their system even if they are not impaired.” The state government’s position is unlikely to change, however, as they claim that “there is evidence that medicinal THC users can be impaired for a period of time”. The results of the inquiry will be presented to the Legislative Council in early August.