Environment · Party position

ALCP on Environment

Legalise hemp to cut pollution, save forests, and clean waterways

This party says that growing hemp and cannabis on a large scale would help the environment. They say hemp can replace timber so fewer forests are cut down, reduce pollution, and its deep roots can capture nitrates that currently contaminate groundwater from dairy farming. They also say hemp can be used for biodegradable packaging, biofuels, and building materials, reducing waste and greenhouse gas emissions.

What they say they'll do

Enable full-scale cannabis-hemp cultivation as an environmentally sustainable resource
Use hemp as a renewable biofuel to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Use hemp's deep roots to capture nitrates and reduce dairy farming groundwater contamination
Replace plastics and packaging with biodegradable hemp-based alternatives
Use hemp for building materials, paper, and textiles to reduce forest clearing
Promote hemp as an erosion-prevention and soil-improvement crop

Who this affects

Farmers and rural communities

Hemp cultivation near dairy farms is described as capturing nitrates from soil, which the party says are the principal contaminant of New Zealand groundwater.

General public

Large-scale hemp production is presented as a way to reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions that affect the broader environment.

Manufacturing and packaging industries

The party proposes hemp as a source of biodegradable packaging and other materials, which would affect how products are made and packaged.

In their own words

“Large scale reintroduction of hemp will help minimise greenhouse emissions, pollution, waste (eg. biodegradable packaging) and save forests.”

“the principal contaminant of NZ groundwater is nitrate, which deep rooting hemp captures and renders bio-available”

“Hemp's bulk fiber can be utilised for building materials, clothing, paper, plastic, textiles and notably as a renewable bio-fuel energy source.”

Verify at Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party — official policy page

Summarised neutrally from Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party’s own official policy (as at 2026-07-16) and checked by an editor. Nothing is paraphrased without the source linked. Read the original ↗ Arapono is non-partisan. Compare all parties on Environment →

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