Schedule | Part of Schedule (including general rules of thumb) | Examples & storage | Other sections of the Misuse of Drugs Act / Regulations | Penalties |
First Schedule Class A controlled drugs:
ie, drugs posing a very high risk of harm to individuals or society.
Includes narcotic substances classified under the 1961 UN Convention and psychotropic substances classified under the 1971 Convention. | Severely restricted substances.
Ministers approval required for use, except for cocaine and derivatives
Includes a mix of hallucinogens, stimulants, and depressants.
| Heroin, LSD, PCP (angel dust) Cocaine
Thalidomide
To be stored in a CD cabinet. | Sections 6 & 7 relate to the general prohibitions on the import, export, production, manufacture, supply, administration, or offer to supply or administer of CDs.
S6(6) covers presumptions for supply for CDs.
S8 provides exemptions (subject to ss 22-25) from sections 6 & 7 eg prescribing by medical practitioners, vets, dispensing by pharmacists etc.
S18 - Police search and seizure without warrant.
Regulation 3 Ministers approval required for granting of licences to deal in CDs in the First Schedule, Part 1 of Second Schedule, and Part 1 of the Third Schedule (except for cocaine, morphine, or opium and derivative compounds).
Regulation 22 Prohibition on supplying, administering, or prescribing of CDs in the First Schedule, Part 1 or 2 of the Second Schedule, and Part 1 of the Third Schedule unless with Ministers approval (except for cocaine, morphine, or opium and derivative compounds). |
Life imprisonment for the importation, manufacture or supply (subject to presumption of supply).
Up to 14 years imprisonment for conspiracy to commit an offence.
Up to six months imprisonment or $1,000 fine or both for possession. |
Schedule | Part of Schedule (including general rules of thumb) | Examples & storage | Other sections of the Misuse of Drugs Act / Regulations | Penalties |
Second Schedule Class B controlled drugs:
ie, drugs posing a high risk of harm to individuals or society.
Includes narcoticsubstances classified under the 1961 UN Convention and psychotropic substances classified under the 1971 Convention. | Part 1 refined or concentrated forms of cannabis (higher potency than natural plant leaf).
Substances have generally been processed.
Includes opiates with both therapeutic and abuse potential.
Ministers approval only required for use of cannabis oil/resin (ie not for morphine/opium). | Cannabis resin & oil (ie, Hashish and Hashish oil),
Opium Morphine,
Stored in a CD cabinet. | S18 - Police search and seizure without warrant.
SS 6, 7, 8 (outlined in First Schedule table above).
Regulation 3 (outlined in First Schedule table).
Regulation 22 (outlined in First schedule Table above). |
Up to 14 years imprisonment for importation, manufacture or supply (subject to presumption of supply).
Up to 10 years imprisonment for conspiracy to commit an offence.
Up to three months imprisonment or $500 fine or both for possession. |
Part 2 mainly stimulants. Includes amphetamines with medical uses (eg, methylphenidate). Lesser dependence potential than substances in Part 1.
Ministers approval required for prescribing, dispensing, and administration. | Ritalin Methampheta-mine Dexampheta-mine MDMA
Stored in a CD cabinet. | Police need search warrant (S18 not applicable)
SS 6, 7, 8 (outlined in First Schedule table above).
Regulation 22 (outlined in First Schedule Table above).
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Part 3 commonly used for medical purposes. Lesser dependence potential than Parts 1 & 2. Includes drugs not used in NZ (yet), but have been used and classified internationally. Eg, NZ asked to classify by the UN.
Minsters approval not required. | Methadone Pethidine Alfentanil
Stored in a CD cabinet. | Police need search warrant (S 18 not applicable)
SS 6, 7, 8 (outlined in First Schedule Table above). |
Schedule | Part of Schedule (including general rules of thumb) | Examples & storage | Other sections of the Misuse of Drugs Act / Regulations | Penalties |
Third Schedule Class C controlled drugs.
This includes controlled drug analogues (listed in Part 7).
Ie, drugs posing a moderate risk of harm to individuals or society.
Includes narcoticsubstances classified under the 1961 UN Convention and psychotropic substances classified under the 1971 Convention.
Generally, narcotics in Parts 1, 2, & 3 and psychotropics in Parts 4 & 5.
| Part 1 natural forms of cannabis.
Generally substances used illicitly rather than medically.
Ministers approval required.
| Cannabis leaf, fruit, and seed Coca leaf
Stored in a CD cabinet. | S18 - Police search and seizure without warrant.
SS 6, 7, 8 (outlined in First Schedule table above). Regulation 3 (outlined in First Schedule table). Regulation 22 (outlined in First Schedule Table above). |
Up to 8 years imprisonment for importation, manufacture or supply.
Up to 7 years imprisonment for conspiracy to commit an offence.
Up to three months imprisonment or $500 fine or both for possession. |
Part 2 moderate abuse potential, but also have therapeutic uses. Readily prescribed by medical practitioners.
| Codeine powder, injection, & tablet
Some stored in a CD cabinet, others on shelf. | SS 6, 7, 8 (outlined in First Schedule Table above).
Police need search warrant (S 18 not applicable)
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Part 3 similar products to Part 2, ie therapeutic substances, but generally lesser dependence potential than Part 2 substances.
Partially exempted drugs that can be supplied without prescription in certain circumstances. | Pholcodeine
Stored in a CD cabinet. | SS 6, 7, 8 (outlined in First Schedule Table above).
Police need search warrant (S 18 not applicable)
Regulation 20 supply and administration without prescription, eg in an emergency by a pharmacist if directed by a medical practitioner. Or people licensed to possess a CD under other regs (eg hospital managers, or those in charge of aircraft or ships). |
Schedule | Part of Schedule (including general rules of thumb) | Examples & storage | Other sections of the Misuse of Drugs Act / Regulations | Penalties |
Third Schedule Class C controlled drugs.
This includes controlled drug analogues (listed in Part 7)
Ie, drugs posing a moderate risk of harm to individuals or society.
Includes narcoticsubstances classified under the 1961 UN Convention and psychotropic substances classified under the 1971 Convention.
Generally, narcotics in Parts 1, 2, & 3 and psychotropics in Parts 4 & 5.
| Part 4 Includes barbiturates with medical uses, eg sedative effects. Some no longer used.
Moderate dependence / abuse potential, although barbiturates probably have more dependence / abuse potential than the benzodiazepines in Part 5 (which is why they are no longer really used). | Barbiturates (except ones in Part 5)
Stored in a CD cabinet. | SS 6, 7, 8 (outlined in First Schedule table above).
Police need search warrant (S 18 not applicable)
|
Up to 8 years imprisonment for importation, manufacture or supply.
Up to 7 years imprisonment for conspiracy to commit an offence.
Up to three months imprisonment or $500 fine or both for possession. |
Part 5 includes benzodiazepines and some barbiturates. Medical uses (eg sedatives). Moderate risk of abuse / dependence potential. Probably less risk than Part 4 substances. | Benzodiazepines, eg Flunitrazepam.
Barbiturates in combination.
Stored in a CD cabinet. | SS 6, 7, 8 (outlined in First Schedule table above).
Police need search warrant (S 18 not applicable)
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Part 6 includes pharmacy only medicines. Some over the counter.
CDs exempted from the prohibition on export/import, supply, administer eg when prescribed by medical practitioners etc
| Specified CDs in combination where the CD cannot be readily recovered and up to stated strengths, eg Codine in paracetamol.
Stored on shelf. | SS 6, 7, 8 (outlined in First Schedule table above).
See S 6(1)(a) and 8(3)(a)for the import/export exemption.
See S83(b) for the supply and administration exemption.
Police need search warrant (S 18 not applicable) | ||
Part 7 - CD analogues
| Amphetamine, Pethidine, analogues
Stored on shelf. | SS 6, 7, 8 (outlined in First Schedule Table above).
Police need search warrant (S 18 not applicable) |
Schedule | Part of Schedule (including general rules of thumb) | Examples | Other sections of MODA | Penalties |
Schedule 4 precursor substances
Generally should mirror the precursors in the 1988 UN Convention
NB: no real restrictions except agreements with industry when they export/import (Eg if Country X exports HCL to New Zealand it will notify the Ministry of Health which will advise the National Drug Intelligence Bureau).
Memorandum of Understanding requires suppliers to record details of sales and report all sales of more than 90g of amphetamine precursors eg, ephedrine and pseudoephedrine. | Part 1
Substances with narrow uses and traded in limited volumes on the international market.
| Ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, lysergic acid |
S4(4)(c) the Governor-General can amend Schedule 4 to mirror any changes to the Annex to the Vienna Convention
| S 12A Up to 7 years imprisonment or $1000 fine, or both, for supplying, producing or manufacturing a precursor substance knowing it is to be used to commit an offence. |
Part 2
Substances with a wide range of uses and traded in large quantities.
| Hydrochloric acid,
| S4(4)(c) |