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© ESR March 2020
ESR GUIDELINES FOR THE SUBMISSION OF HEMP SAMPLES FOR MINISTRY OF
HEALTH LICENSING REQUIREMENTS
The Misuse of Drugs (Industrial Hemp) Regulations 2006
enables the cultivation and distribution of industrial hemp
under a licensing regime that ensures other forms of
cannabis are not cultivated and distributed under the guise
of industrial hemp.
Industrial hemp is a variety of Cannabis sativa that has a
low tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content generally below
0.35 percent. Industrial hemp varieties are controlled
drugs and are listed in Schedule 3 Part I of the Misuse of
Drugs Act 1975. The Institute of Environmental Science
and Research Ltd (ESR) is the approved laboratory for
testing of hemp.
The customer or licence holder is responsible for
contacting ESR and preparing a Contract for Services prior
to the collection and submission of samples. Procedures
for collection and submission of samples need to be
followed closely to assist analysis.
The Ministry of
Health Guidelines for the Sampling of
Industrial Hemp for testing are available her
e
These guidelines have not been updated since 2010 so
some of this information is not current.
The aim of these ESR guidelines is to assist with the receipt
and analysis of samples by ESR. Please adhere closely
to the following procedures outlined below, but there are
other requirements in the Ministry of Health Guidelines.
Photo: Wiki-Sreejithk2000
CONTACT ESR TO PREPARE A CONTRACT OF SERVICES. Before analysis can commence, a Contract must be completed.
1 Please arrange this at least one week prior to submitting samples.
Please address all enquiries or samples to the following:
AXIS Team
ESR, Mount Albert Science Centre
120 Mount Albert Road, Mount Albert
AUCKLAND, 1025
Phone: 09 815 3670 – ask for AXIS Lead Administrator for Chemistry. Email: [email address]
SUPPLY THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION TO ESR FOR THE CONTRACT:
2 • Copy of hemp licence and/or Licence Number
• Your Contact Name or Business Name
• Physical and Postal Address
• Phone number
• Email address
• If available, your Purchase Order Number
• Email address to send the invoice
ESR WILL SEND THE CUSTOMER OR LICENCE HOLDER THE PREPARED CONTRACT TO SIGN. This can be returned
3 electronically to ESR or sent with the submission of plant material for analysis.
• Please return all four pages of the Contract.
Continued on next page
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© ESR March 2020
ESR GUIDELINES FOR THE SUBMISSION OF HEMP SAMPLES FOR MINISTRY OF
HEALTH LICENSING REQUIREMENTS continued
SAMPLING CULTIVARS
4 Samples required for analysis
A representative sample of plants is required from each
cultivar that is to be analysed.
Samples are required from
a minimum of five plants from each cultivar, exposed to
different environmental conditions, e.g. edges of plot,
centre of plot.
For example, if two cultivars are to be analysed, then
submit a representative sample from five plants of
Cultivar A and representative samples from five plants of
Cultivar B.
If a single cultivar has been grown from more than one
seed stock, a representative sample must include plants
Photo: Wiki-Lossenelin
grown from each seed stock.
ESR will combine the samples within each cultivar, for one analysis per cultivar.
Plant material sampling
The whole plant is not required for testing.
Collect the seed head (if present) or growing tip of the plant, approximately 10 - 15 centimetres from the top of the plant
(including all leaf, seed head and stalk obtained).
If ESR considers any samples inadequate for satisfactory testing, the laboratory may request the licence holder to provide
additional samples for analysis.
Drying and packaging of samples
Samples should be air dried for at least one day, preferably two, prior to sending to ESR. Packaging of fresh plant material
can quickly degrade if not dried appropriately beforehand.
Each sample must be stored in a separate paper package e.g. paper envelope, and labelled with:
a. Name of cultivar
b. Reference of sample to sampling location, e.g. “A”, “B”, “C” and so on
5 SEND THE PACKAGED PLANT MATERIAL TO ESR WITH YOUR SIGNED CONTRACT
Samples should be delivered to ESR, either personally, or by overnight courier. The delivery address is in Section 1.
Please do not send samples on a Friday, as degradation of the plant material can occur if samples are left over the weekend
in a courier/storage facility.
ANALYSIS OF SAMPLES AND REPORTING OF RESULTS WILL BE WITHIN FOUR WEEKS FROM RECEIPT OF SAMPLES
6 The cost of analysis for each cultivar to determine if it meets the licence requirement (i.e. THC content) is $500 (excl GST).
An invoice will follow on completion of the work.
RESULTS ARE EMAILED TO THE ADDRESS PROVIDED ON THE CONTRACT AND TO THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH
7
8 FURTHER INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE
Contacts:
ESR: 09 815 3670 – ask for AXIS Lead Administrator for Chemistry;
Medicines Control: 04 496 2018;
Ministry of Health website: https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/regulation-health-and-disability-system/medicines-
control/industrial-hemp-0/industrial-hemp-licensing
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