NZ

New Zealand

Substance legality overview · Last updated 2026-03-05

🌿 CannabisRESTRICTED⚡ Nicotine PouchesILLEGAL🫧 SnusILLEGAL💨 E-CigarettesLEGAL🔥 Heated TobaccoLEGAL
LEGAL

💨 E-Cigarettes

E-cigarettes are legal in New Zealand, with regulations covering product safety, packaging, and sales. Based on these regulations, new products must be notified before entering the market, and containers are required to be child-resistant. Health warnings are mandatory on packaging, and sales are restricted to people aged 18 and over. There are also limits on nicotine strength (no higher than 20 mg/ml), but no restrictions apply on flavour range. Use of e-cigarettes in public places is also regulated. E-cigarettes can be legally purchased online and are available through general retail outlets

SOURCES

Last verified: 2025-11-05

ILLEGAL

🫧 Snus

Used in Scandinavia for more than 200 years, snus is providing smokers in Sweden and Norway with an alternative to combustible cigarettes. Find out what it is, and why it is considered a safer nicotine product in our briefing paper.

SOURCES

Last verified: 2026-03-04

LEGAL

🔥 Heated Tobacco

In 2018, a New Zealand District Court decision permitted the sale of heated tobacco products under the 1990 Smoke-free Environments Act. The case was Philip Morris International (the makers of IQOS) vs. New Zealand's Ministry of Health. The law regulating heated tobacco products states they should not be sold or advertised to minors (under 18 years). The New Zealand Ministry of Health has stated that it plans to develop a risk-proportionate regulatory framework for products covered by the 1990 Smoke-free Environments Act, which includes heated tobacco products.

SOURCES

Last verified: 2022-09-02

ILLEGAL

⚡ Nicotine Pouches

Nicotine pouches are a relatively new product which can provide users of high-risk tobacco with an alternative that poses fewer risks to their health. Read more about nicotine pouches in our briefing paper

SOURCES

Last verified: 2026-03-04

RESTRICTED

🌿 Cannabis

Cannabis is partially regulated or restricted in New Zealand. Recreational: Illegal | Medical: Legal.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice. Laws change frequently — always verify with local authorities or a qualified lawyer before traveling or making decisions based on this data.

OTHER COUNTRIES

RSSerbiaCVCabo VerdeARArgentinaAMArmeniaBYBelarusCACanadaAFAfghanistanBZBelizeBGBulgariaBWBotswanaALAlbaniaITItaly