Medicinal Cannabis Scheme Launch 1st April 2020

The New Zealand Medicinal Cannabis Scheme ("Scheme") comes into effect today. This means that license application forms and guidance material for medicinal cannabis companies will soon become available via the newly formed Medicinal Cannabis Agency ("Agency"). The Agency is responsible to administer the Scheme. Cannasouth Limited and group companies ("NZX:CBD", "Cannasouth", "Group") is carefully navigating the medicinal cannabis licencing programme to ensure that it promptly submits comprehensive licence applications. The Group will require various licences under the present scheme to cover all aspects of its vertical integration business strategy - from cannabis cultivation to sale of finished medicinal cannabis products. According to a recent communication from the Agency, they will soon be accepting licence applications, which they plan to assess remotely during the COVID-19 alert level 4 period. Cannasouth remains focussed on a vertical integration commercial strategy and continues its commitment to producing medicinal cannabis products in New Zealand from locally sourced raw materials. In order to enable rapid patient access to compliant quality medicinal cannabis products, the company is investigating several parallel pathways, one of which includes importing New Zealand compliant medicinal cannabis products and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients ("APIs") while local manufacturing operations are being established. From a healthcare prescriber perspective, a key change that comes with the implementation of the new Scheme is that a Health Care Practitioner ("HCP"), e.g. Doctor, General Practitioner, Nurse Practitioner, will now be able to prescribe all medicinal cannabis products, including those containing THC, which previously required Specialist consultant approval. This will provide greater accessibility for patients looking to access medicinal cannabis as part of their preferred treatment options. Across the sector however, Cannasouth continues its commitment to support prescriber education so that medical professionals are well informed and have access to current scientific and clinical data when prescribing medicinal cannabis products. Additionally, Cannasouth is pursuing the development of its comprehensive suite of educational resources to support both the needs of the prescriber and those of their patients. For answers to further questions around medicinal cannabis options and prescriber information, Cannasouth has set up a dedicated section on its website which can be accessed through the following link: https://www.cannasouth.co.nz/2020/nz-medicinal-cannabis-scheme-launch-faqs/ -ENDS- For further information visit www.cannasouth.co.nz or contact: Mark Lucas CEO, Cannasouth Limited Email: mark.lucas@cannasouth.co.nz Mobile: 021 484 649 Tony Ho Chairman, Cannasouth Limited Email: tony.ho@cannasouth.co.nz Mobile: +61 417 345 839 End CA:00351079 For:CBD Type:GENERAL Time:2020-04-01 14:09:25