Repeat prescriptions and staying supplied

Once you are established on a medicinal cannabis product, the practical challenge shifts from getting a prescription to keeping one. New Zealand's rules treat different products differently, and a bit of planning saves a lot of stress.

The supply-length rules

How long a single prescription lasts depends on what's in the product:

• CBD products (where CBD is at least 98% of the cannabinoids and THC is 2% or less) are not controlled drugs. They can be supplied for up to three months per prescription.
• THC-containing products are controlled drugs, and the law limits them to a maximum one-month supply per prescription.

That one rule explains a lot about the patient experience. If you are on a THC product, you will need a fresh prescription roughly every month — which means more frequent (and more costly) re-scripts than someone on a CBD-only product.

How re-scripting usually works

Most clinics build re-scripting into their follow-up model. A common pattern is brief check-in appointments — sometimes every few months for stable patients on CBD, more often for those on THC — at a reduced "rescript" or "repeat" fee compared with an initial consultation. Some clinics offer patient portals where you can request a repeat between appointments, subject to the prescriber's review.

Re-scripting is not purely administrative. Controlled-drug prescribing carries clinical responsibility, so your prescriber will generally want to confirm the product is still helping, still tolerated, and still appropriate before issuing a repeat. Periodic genuine reviews are a feature, not a bug.

Planning ahead so you don't run out

A few habits keep supply smooth:

• Diarise your re-script date, especially on a monthly THC product. Don't wait until your last dose.
• Allow time for dispensing. Pharmacies often have your product ready within a day or so, but some products can take several working days, particularly if they need to be ordered in.
• Build in a buffer before holidays, long weekends or travel, when both clinics and pharmacies may have reduced hours.
• Keep one pharmacy relationship where practical, so they know your product and can flag availability.

Stock shortages: the current reality

It would be misleading to pretend supply is always reliable. New Zealand's medicinal cannabis producer sector has been under significant financial strain, with several companies collapsing or exiting, and clinics have reported stock shortages affecting patients. That makes forward planning more important than it would otherwise be.

If your usual product is unavailable, options include asking your prescriber and pharmacist about an equivalent verified product, or adjusting timing — but don't switch products or doses on your own. A change of product can mean a change of cannabinoid ratio or strength, which may need re-titration.

Why the rules differ

The split between three-month CBD scripts and one-month THC scripts isn't arbitrary. CBD products that meet the legal definition (CBD at least 98% of the cannabinoids, THC and specified substances at 2% or less) are prescription medicines but not controlled drugs, so they follow ordinary prescription rules and can be supplied for longer. THC-containing products are controlled drugs under the Misuse of Drugs framework, which brings tighter prescribing and supply rules — including the one-month cap and stricter record-keeping. Understanding this helps explain why your experience as a CBD patient looks quite different from a THC patient's, both in cost and in how often you interact with the clinic.

Keeping your GP in the loop

Even if your prescriptions come from a dedicated clinic, it's good practice to keep your regular GP informed. Cannabis can interact with other medicines, and your GP is best placed to see the whole picture — especially if your other prescriptions change. Many clinics will send your GP a summary if you ask. This coordination matters most for patients on multiple medicines, where a new prescription elsewhere could interact with your cannabis product or vice versa.

If you're travelling

Controlled-drug supply limits and border rules matter if you leave the country. Broadly, travellers can carry up to a one-month supply of a controlled drug, in original containers, with a doctor's letter or prescription, declared on arrival — but rules differ by destination and some countries prohibit cannabis entirely. Check our visitors and travel guidance and confirm with official sources well before you fly.

The bottom line

Staying supplied is mostly about respecting the supply-length rules — three months for CBD, one month for THC — and planning around them. Diarise your re-script dates, allow time for dispensing, keep a buffer for shortages and travel, and never adjust products or doses without your prescriber. Continuity is part of good treatment.

Last reviewed 3 August 2026 — education, not medical advice. Sources: bpacnz; NZ Customs — medicines.