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The New Zealand Medicinal Cannabis Council (NZMCC) hosted its Industry Day on Oct. 29, 2025 at the EMA in Auckland, bringing together patients, clinicians, researchers, cultivators, advocates and policymakers for a full-day program centered on connection. The agenda was designed to strengthen links across a sector spanning prescribing, cultivation, compliance, research, and policy, with sessions focused on practical collaboration and knowledge sharing.<\/p>\n
NZMCC<\/a> Chair Carmen Doran opened the day and positioned connection as a deliberate focus for the Council, particularly as NZMCC\u2019s membership has expanded to include clinicians, emerging cultivators and the wider support system around the sector, including government, suppliers and academics. The program moved from a Leaders\u2019 Roundtable on the state of medicinal cannabis in New Zealand into regulatory and policy briefings, before splitting into clinical and industry breakout session pathways in the afternoon.<\/p>\n Following a Mihi Whakatau, a M\u0101ori welcoming ceremony, the Industry Day began with a Leaders\u2019 Roundtable discussion examining where the medicinal cannabis sector currently stands. The panel brought together senior figures from across healthcare, regulation and business, including Terry Teoh, business growth partner at New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE); Tara Creaven-Capasso, director of regulatory affairs ANZ at MedReleaf Australia; Paul Naske, CEO at Rua Bioscience<\/a>, a M\u0101ori-founded pharmaceutical company that specializes in the research, development and sale of medicinal cannabis products both domestically and internationally; and Natalie Lowe, CEO of Green Doctors, a New Zealand medicinal cannabis clinic network.<\/p>\n The discussion covered regulatory maturity, patient access, prescribing trends and the challenges of operating in a tightly regulated environment. Teoh described the Industry Day as \u201ca great connection point, particularly given NZMCC\u2019s recent broadening of membership.\u201d He also reflected on New Zealand\u2019s presence at European Medicinal Cannabis Week earlier in the year. \u201cFrom conversations with the NZ attendees and partners, themes that resonated particularly well included a responsible and ethical ecosystem that puts people first, NZ\u2019s agricultural leadership heritage, and companies that are responsive and scalable,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n The morning continued with a session called Inside the Regulatory Framework: Roles, Responsibilities and Compliance, presented by Tania Jones from the Medicinal Cannabis Agency. Jones outlined how the Agency oversees New Zealand\u2019s medicinal cannabis system, walking through licensing requirements, compliance obligations and the responsibilities of operators across cultivation, manufacture and supply.<\/p>\n This was followed by TGA Consultation Underway in Australia: Implications for the New Zealand Market, led by Tara Creaven-Capasso, director of regulatory affairs for ANZ of MedReleaf Australia. Drawing on her regulatory experience across the Tasman, Creaven-Capasso explained the scope of the Therapeutic Goods Administration\u2019s consultation process and discussed what potential changes could mean for market alignment, product pathways and future opportunities for New Zealand companies.<\/p>\n The final morning session was delivered by Dr Jacek Kolodziej, policy director at the New Zealand Drug Foundation<\/a>, who examined safer drug laws, lived experience and alternative policy approaches. His presentation placed medicinal cannabis within a broader public health and drug policy context.<\/p>\n After lunch, delegates chose between two breakout streams, with many moving between sessions as discussions progressed.<\/p>\n Clinical Pathway<\/strong><\/p>\n The clinical stream opened with James Yu, pharmacist and co-founder of Ng\u0101 Hua Pharmacy<\/a>, New Zealand\u2019s leading independent specialist pharmacy focused on medicinal cannabis, who presented The Importance of Terpene Tailoring. Yu shared patient case studies drawn from dispensing practice, highlighting how different terpene profiles and chemovar selection can influence treatment outcomes.<\/p>\n This was followed by a panel discussion titled Cannabis Challenges in Practice, moderated by Dr Rick Acland<\/a>. The panel included Dr William Parkyn, Dr Afram Adam, and James Yu, and focused on prescribing confidence, clinical responsibility and real-world barriers to access.<\/p>\n \u201cI was impressed with the level of knowledge and understanding of appropriate prescription amongst delegates,\u201d Acland says. \u201cSadly, the wider medical fraternity struggles to understand this complex pharmacology and its wide-ranging effects through modulation of the Endocannabinoid System<\/a> (ECS). Hopefully, the pool of advocates continues to grow and hence enhances patient wellbeing. There is a good understanding of the adverse effects that always need to be appreciated.\u201d<\/p>\n Acland also highlighted agreement within the panel on professional standards. \u201cI was impressed with the consensus regarding the need to adhere to agreed prescription protocols,\u201d he says. He noted concern about the future regulatory environment, referencing legal expertise present in the room. \u201cI was also impressed that we had a barrister, Adam Holloway, in the audience who works in the area of medical discipline. There is concern that specific prescribers may get \u2018targeted\u2019 by Registration bodies or Colleges in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n The clinical pathway concluded with Dr Michael Murphy, Medical Advisor at CannaPlus+ and Board Member of the ANZCCP, presenting The ANZCCP Prescribing Guidelines, an update on current best practice and emerging evidence.<\/p>\n Industry Pathway<\/strong><\/p>\n The industry stream focused on innovation, sustainability and long-term planning.<\/p>\n Tua Waaku of Bluelab opened the pathway with Research and New Knowledge for Cultivation, presenting findings on light spectrum and plant development. Drawing on Bluelab\u2019s experience designing monitoring and control tools for growers, the session explored how precision measurement can support consistent outcomes.<\/p>\n Dr Sam Baldwin of the Bioresource Institute followed with Indoor Crops 30 Years in the Future, examining how advances in technology, environmental constraints and resource efficiency may reshape cultivation models over the coming decades.<\/p>\n Energy considerations were addressed by Karan Tikku of Genesis Energy in Electricity: Challenges and Opportunities, where he outlined cost pressures facing cultivators and practical pathways to reduce energy use.<\/p>\n The industry pathway concluded with Terry Teoh of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise presenting Building an Export-Ready Business, focusing on scalability, regulatory preparedness and international market expectations.<\/p>\n Although now retired from clinical practice, Dr Rick Acland says he remains closely connected to the medicinal cannabis sector. His involvement dates back to the early 2000s.\u201cDespite being a retired practitioner, I still feel very much connected with this industry,\u201d he says. \u201cMy history with medicinal cannabis goes back to the early 2000s when I was a member of the Medicines Assessment Advisory Committee (MAAC) of the Ministry of Health.\u201d<\/p>\n Acland described his role in assessing Sativex in 2006. \u201cAt my last meeting (2006), I was responsible for the assessment of Sativex for registration,\u201d he says. \u201cI managed to persuade my fellow committee members that there was enough convincing data to approve it for spasticity of MS. There were a number of sceptics who did take some cajoling to get Sativex \u2018across the line\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n Looking back nearly two decades later, he said the decision had held up. \u201cI think that with the passage of almost 20 years, our decision was correct, and pleasingly, any fears that had been raised at that meeting have not eventuated, apart from the prohibitive cost of the agent,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Acland also reflected on his clinical background. \u201cThroughout my medical career, I have worked in pain and latterly in spinal cord injury rehabilitation,\u201d he says. \u201cFrequently, I noted the many patients who gained useful symptom relief from recreational use.\u201d<\/p>\n He described the shift that followed legal prescribing. \u201cInterestingly, once medicinal cannabis became available through prescription, I was \u2018banned\u2019 by one of the organizations I consulted for from having any conversation regarding cannabis,\u201d Acland says. \u201cIt has concerned me that the Pain Society has taken such a negative approach, probably because of the opioid epidemic in the USA, despite there being a growing level of evidence<\/a> showing a reduction in opioid use with the introduction of prescription cannabis.\u201d<\/p>\n From a sponsor perspective, Arjun Bhargava, co-founder of innovative beverage brand Terps & Co<\/a>, says the Industry Day reflected a broader shift in how the sector is thinking about cannabis formulation and patient experience.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was heartening to see that terpenes, beyond just THC and CBD, are finally getting the attention they deserve,\u201d Bhargava says. \u201cAcross the value chain, from pharmacists to manufacturers, there is a growing appreciation for how pivotal they are and how profoundly they shape the cannabis experience.\u201d<\/p>\n In reflecting on the day, Doran pointed to the connections formed across the room as the most meaningful outcome. \u201cFor me, the standout moment was seeing groups of people talking together after lunch who wouldn\u2019t usually meet in their day-to-day work,\u201d she says. \u201cBeing able to connect cultivators choosing which strains to commercialize with prescribing doctors who hear directly from patients about what works was incredibly powerful.\u201d<\/p>\n Doran also noted that NZMCC held its AGM as part of the Industry Day, including the election of new board members intended to reflect the Council\u2019s expanded membership base. Looking ahead, she said NZMCC plans to establish working groups in 2026 focused on priority areas for the sector, including export markets and patient access. \u201cWe\u2019ll be diving into issues that shape the industry here at home, but also as we look to export markets and support patients in New Zealand and internationally,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n As the peak representative organization for the medicinal cannabis sector focused on equitable and affordable access to cannabinoid-based medicines, the NZMCC Industry Day was the perfect opportunity to reinforce collaboration as the foundation for future progress.<\/p>\n The post Connection in Practice: Inside New Zealand\u2019s Medicinal Cannabis Industry Day<\/a> appeared first on Cannabis Now<\/a>.<\/p>\n
The New Zealand Medicinal Cannabis Council (NZMCC) hosted its Industry Day on Oct. 29, 2025 at the EMA in Auckland, bringing together patients, clinicians, researchers, cultivators, advocates and policymakers for a full-day program centered on connection. The agenda was designed to strengthen links across a sector spanning prescribing, cultivation, compliance,Continue Reading<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":234,"featured_media":84800,"comment_status":"false","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[50,69,7455,139,1112],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84799"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/234"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=84799"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84799\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":84801,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84799\/revisions\/84801"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/84800"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=84799"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=84799"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=84799"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/NZMCC-Industry-Day-Discussion.jpg\")
<\/a>Leaders\u2019 Roundtable: The State of Medicinal Cannabis in New Zealand<\/h4>\n
Regulatory and Policy Briefings: Roles, Responsibilities and Reform<\/h4>\n
![\"NZMCC](\"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/NZMCC-Industry-Day-Aurora.jpg\")
<\/a>Afternoon Breakouts: Clinical and Industry Pathways<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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<\/a>Sector Reflections: Experience From the Early Days<\/h4>\n
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<\/a>Sponsor Perspective<\/h4>\n
Looking Ahead<\/h4>\n
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\nRead More: Connection in Practice: Inside New Zealand\u2019s Medicinal Cannabis Industry Day<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"