New Zealand Hemp Industries Association (NZHIA) PRESS RELEASE (8 November 2018)
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Hemp seed food products now legal in New Zealand
A
small yet significant victory occurred on
Tuesday as Government announced formal
regulatory changes, which will mean that
hemp seed products will be legal for sale and
consumption as from 12 November 2018.
This change in legislation means that in
addition to hemp seed oil (which has been
legal since 2003) items such as de-hulled
hemp seed, hemp seed protein powder, hemp
seed beverages and hemp seed snack bars will
now all be able to be legally sold for human
consumption in New Zealand.
This change in hemp seed food legislation
follows on from changes that Trans - Tasman
Food Ministers agreed to be made to the
Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code
on 28 April 2017. Australia has been legally
selling their hemp food items since November
last year.
Announcing the legislation change, Food Safety
Minister Damien O’Connor acknowledged
that the NZ industrial hemp (iHemp) industry
has been campaigning for this amendment to
happen for decades. He also made reference
to the potential for the iHemp industry to
be significantly beneficial to New Zealand’s
rural economies and communities in terms of
generating revenue and jobs.
Despite this good news however, hemp
flowers and hemp leaves, even those strains
with effectively zero levels of the psycho
active component THC, will remain illegal in
New Zealand food: This continued restriction
is frustrating for those who want the high
value nutrition of the whole plant to be made
available to New Zealanders for dietary and
medical benefits.
Additionally, the possession and trade of
whole hemp seeds will still require a license,
and all new hemp seed food items will not be
permitted to feature the word cannabis or to
show the cannabis leaf on packaging.
In response to the announcement Richard
Barge of NZHIA said: “Whilst we welcome any
progress that helps the iHemp industry, if the
hemp seed is indeed to be traded now as ‘any
other edible seed’, the restrictions still in place
will continue to be a source of postponing the
full flourishing of the iHemp industry in New
Zealand.
"We wait to see how the imminent order in
council by the Ministry Of Primary Industries
will effect the Industrial Hemp Regulations
2006.
"Is the New Zealand government serious about
helping our rural economies?”
Press release end:
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For further Info:
Richard Barge NZHIA Deputy Chair – 021 706 690 or Mack McIntosh NZHIA Chair – 03 415 8888