Hempurea

16/06/2026

TODAY Is the last day to make a submission to Parliament on Green MP's Kahu Kahurangi Carter life-saving law change - which would legally protect anyone who calls for help for a drug emergency. That means no worrying about possession charges when you call an ambulance for yourself or someone else. It also means anyone on bail or parole would be protected from legal consequences, too. This is HUGE and we know it'll go a long way towards making people feel comfortable to get help.

Parliament needs to hear from anyone who supports this law change, especially if you've ever hesitated to get help for a situation involving drugs. You can use our quick submission builder tool - it doesn't store your info, and you can make a submission anonymously: https://submission-builder.drugfoundation.workers.dev/

You don't need to be a drug law expert to have your say. You just need to say if you support this law change and how it would affect you. Please DM Zoe the NZ Drug Foundation if you have any questions!

Your submission can be as simple as saying "I support this"

27/05/2026

🇳🇿 Cannabis policy remains one of the clearest areas of difference between New Zealand’s political parties heading into the 2026 General Election.

This non-partisan voter guide compares where parties currently stand on three key questions:

🌿 Safe legal access to medicinal cannabis
⚖️ Treating personal cannabis use as a health issue rather than a criminal one
🏛️ A regulated legal market for adult use

Policies and public statements can evolve during an election campaign, but this provides a snapshot of where each party currently sits based on publicly available positions, voting records, and policy announcements.

No matter your view on cannabis reform, being informed helps voters make decisions that align with their values and priorities.

25/05/2026

OPINION: Whānau want support, yet the system needs sustainable resources to provide care.

25/05/2026

🚨 Greater Access to Medicinal Cannabis for All Kiwis – Sign the Petition! 🚨

Right now, under New Zealand law, only patients nearing the end of their life are allowed to access non-prescribed cannabis products to ease their suffering (via the exemption in section 8(6A) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975).

The Auckland Patients Group is calling on Parliament to extend this exemption to ALL patients and their providers for all documented painful and debilitating conditions, not just for palliation.

This change would mean much greater access to the cannabis products that so many Kiwis need to manage serious pain and conditions.

Every signature makes a difference. Please sign and share with your whānau and friends today!

👉 Sign the petition here:
https://petitions.parliament.nz/f6fefc9c-0228-4838-b595-08dd56ca1042

Together we can improve access for patients across Aotearoa. 💚

22/05/2026

Normally when someone calls an ambulance to save a life, they are considered a hero. 

When someone is trying to help their friend experiencing an overdose, that should remain the case.

Click the link in our bio for the submission guide on how to submit to this bill.

13/05/2026

The agenda for today, the Petitions Committee will be looking at two petitions on drug law reform.

13/05/2026

🚗 Kiwi Drivers: Here’s what roadside cannabis mouth swab tests actually detect

Roadside oral fluid tests mainly detect THC residue left in the mouth after cannabis use — not THC circulating in the bloodstream.

Research compiled by Dr Geoff Noller, PhD (Honorary Research Fellow, Dunedin School of Medicine, ) explains that:

🔹 Smoking, va**ng, or consuming cannabis leaves high concentrations of THC directly on the tongue, gums, and lining of the mouth. This direct contamination is the primary source roadside tests detect.

🔹 Very little THC transfers from the blood into saliva, as THC is highly fat-soluble and more than 97% bound to proteins in the bloodstream.

🔹 Eating, drinking, brushing teeth, rinsing the mouth, saliva pH, and flow rate can all significantly affect results.

Unlike urine tests, roadside mouth swabs generally detect only very low levels of the inactive metabolite THC-COOH.

💡 In simple terms:
The risk of returning a positive test is highest shortly after use and generally decreases as residue clears from the mouth over time.

🪥 Practical tip:
Brushing your teeth and rinsing your mouth thoroughly after cannabis use may help reduce detectable residue.

Drive safe, stay informed, and never drive impaired. 🚘

11/05/2026

Growing Dope is a six-part TV series that follows the founders of Rua Bioscience as they venture into the business of producing medical cannabis products as the first company founded by a Māori community to list on the New Zealand stock exchange.

Growing Dope is about growing hope . A grassroots Maori company from Ruatorea enters the million-dollar medicinal cannabis industry to turn a small town drea...