Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has prepared and assessed a proposal to develop a food regulatory measure to permit the sale of food derived from the seeds of low delta 9 tetrahydrocannabinol varieties of Cannabis sativa.

On 28 July 2016, FSANZ sought submissions on a draft variation and published an associated report. FSANZ received 39 submissions.

FSANZ approved the draft variation on 9 March 2017. The Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation (Forum) was notified of FSANZ’s decision on 22 March 2017. The commencement date for the approved draft variation is six months after the date of gazettal.

Amendment No. 169 was gazetted on 11 May 2017 in Australia (effect in New Zealand will follow gazettal of a Ministerial Notice). It is available from the FSANZ website at Gazette notices. The amendment has also been registered on the Federal Register of Legislation.

The Proposal under which the amendment has been made is:
*  P1042 – Low THC Hemp Seeds as Food