Cannabis is always on the agenda, and this year is no different: arrests are back up, police helicopters have resumed spraying toxic poison, medical access remains difficult and home growing outlawed, while prohibition-violence escalates, grow houses proliferate in suburban rental investments, and corruption corrodes confidence in our civic institutions. There’s every reason to vote for parties and candidates who will end this prohibition madness and bring about sensible cannabis law reform.
This guide contains references to the published policies and statements made by political parties and their candidates. You should check their websites and verify any information. This is not intended as a voting guide, although we do believe everyone should vote.
- Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party – the OGs of cannabis. “Tick the Leaf” sends a clear message.
- Has not yet made it into Parliament, with a highest vote of 1.8% recorded in 1996.
- Green Party – the flag bearers. Greens drug policy is for an evidence-based health-centred approach:
- Legal Regulation to eliminate the black market and control potency and sales
- Treat drug use and addiction as health and social issues not a crime
- Completely repealing and replacing the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975
- This term: the Drug Overdose (Assistance Protection) Bill—championed by Green MP Kahurangi Carter—will protect Good Samaritans calling 111 during an overdose.
- Opportunity Party – Advocated Vote Yes in 2020. Their 2026 Smart on Crime policy says:
- Regulate recreational use of cannabis to undercut organised crime and reduce youth incarceration.
- Also: Expand the Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Court and Expand the availability of drug-treatment programmes … to support police discretion provisions.
- Te Pati Maori – backed Yes in 2020. In 2026 their policy says “Decriminalise Drug Use” and “Implement health-based addiction responses”. Specifically:
- Overhaul Misuse of Drugs Act so that drug use is treated as a health issue.
- Wipe criminal convictions for drug use and possession.
- ACT Party – says they support personal choice and regulatory reform, advocating for medicinal access and approval speed while maintaining traditional law and order stances on recreational drug offenses.
- Took a liberal-leaning stance during the 2020 referendum
- Achievements this term: removed hemp licencing and reduced red tape for medical producers
- But the Coalition agreement backed driver saliva testing.
- Labour Party – no specific policies, but has attempted reform under the Ardern/Clark/Lange Governments.
- Passed our medicinal cannabis laws in 2018 and police discretion in 2019
- Gave us the 2020 cannabis referendum, but adopted a neutral position and did not back Yes
- With Hipkins then Min Health & Police, and now still leader, Labour is unlikely to do it alone.
- New Zealand First – No policy but they backed the referendum and didn’t tell supporters to vote No. Coalition agreement backed driver saliva testing.
- National Party – No policy on their site, but during the 2020 New Zealand cannabis referendum National campaigned for No and even compelled their MPs to vote No.
- Supports controlled-access to medicinal cannabis, through standard medical approval processes
- Implemented a strict driver saliva testing regime that captures non-impaired cannabis consumers
- October 8: National announced intention to randomly drug test unemployed beneficiaries
Important dates:
Enrol to vote at vote.nz by Sunday 25 October 2026
Advance voting begins Monday 26 October 2026
Election day is Saturday 7 November 2026.
