A controversial new documentary is set to have its World Premiere in Dunedin next week.

'Druglawed' is an explosive documentary exposing how New Zealand has been co-opted by the US into fighting the failed War On Drugs.

Filmed in six countries over six years, this is the first feature length documentary examining the effects of international cannabis prohibition on New Zealand society.

Over the last 100 years the US government has forced its drug control policies on almost every country on earth. Over 40 years since Richard Nixon declared the War On Drugs in 1972, 22 million Americans have been arrested for marijuana. Only one country in the world has higher arrest and conviction rates, New Zealand.

It is widely assumed that the so called ‘war on drugs’ (the war between drugs), has been a disastrous failure, and faced with mounting evidence and criticism, governments would eventually seek legislative and policy change. The evidence presented is largely based upon an analysis of the inability of drug prohibition to reduce the supply and demand for banned substances, supplemented by a critique outlining the widespread harms caused by prohibition.

New Zealand is suffering its worst weed drought in recent history, and so far pot-starved kiwis have no one to point the finger at. The current shortage began at the start of the year, with parts of the South Island and upper North Island seemingly affected the worst. One grower from South Island's east coast Waimate district told media earlier this month it's the most severe shortage they had seen in 15 years, and that it was a "nightmare for consumers," who were struggling to buy weed at any price.

A popular salad and sandwich chain has been ordered to pull advertising for its top-selling hemp smoothie because it made it sound like the drink could get you high.

The Herald on Sunday revealed last weekend the advertising for Habitual Fix's hemp smoothie included slogans such as "Man, that's some strong stuff", "Just ask your dealer," and "Don't panic, we also do munchies".

The $7.50 smoothies are a blend of hemp oil, cucumber, mint, yoghurt and apple juice.

They were being served in a plastic cup with a cannabis leaf on the front.

Officials look into health claims of green smoothie

A popular fast food chain is in the gun after promising its hemp smoothies deliver a "potently healthy" hit.

Habitual Fix uses slogans such as, "Man, that's some strong stuff", "Just ask your dealer" and "Don't panic, we also do munchies" to promote the smoothies - but it's not the drug references that have landed the company in trouble.

Instore advertising claims the health benefits of hemp oil include increased energy and metabolism, improved cardiovascular health, better immunity, eased arthritis and lowered blood pressure.

An investigation into the use of cannabis for medical purposes has been carried out by the Ministry of Health.

Growing numbers of jurisdictions allow cannabis for medical use and the Government has come under pressure to re-examine its use here.

Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne, who oversaw New Zealand's innovative regulations on so-called legal highs, asked officials to look into the issue.

The number of cannabis convictions in Northland courts has halved over the past five years, with police pre-charge warnings partly responsible for the fall.

Ministry of Justice records show cannabis-related convictions in Whangarei District Court dropped from 196 five years ago to 95 in the last financial year.

At Kaikohe District Court, convictions fell from 139 to 54 over the five-year period, and, at Kaitaia District Court, convictions fell from 95 to 44.

The convictions included dealing, trafficking, importing, exporting, manufacturing, cultivating, possessing, using and other illicit drug offences.

Canterbury growers have struck another roadblock for growing hemp seed as authorities remain uneasy about its closeness to its drug cousin.

Health ministers from New Zealand and Australia met in Auckland last month to consider a recommendation from Food Standards Australia New Zealand that governments change the food law to enable hemp seed to be grown for human consumption.

Grower hopes hemp growing would be made more freely available to them were dashed when this was rejected because of transport concerns.

Cannabis might provide more relief from chronic pain than prescription drugs, new research suggests.

The large Australian study found that use of the illegal drug for pain relief is common among people with chronic pain, such as low back pain, neck pain and migraines.

The study also found that cannabis users report greater pain relief in combination with prescription opioids, such as morphine and oxycodone, than when opioids are used alone, the researchers said.

The study of 1500 Australians, led by researchers at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre at UNSW, is expected to intensify the debate about allowing cannabis use for medical purposes.