Medleaf giving NZers back freedom and choice

Medleaf was formed in 2018 with a mission to better the lives of New Zealanders through the introduction of high-quality, medicinal cannabis products. With the recent on-boarding of global partner Creso Pharma, they’re set to leverage the best in pharmaceutical leadership, GMP standards and innovative delivery technologies – ready for a mid-2019 cannabidiol (CBD) product launch into New Zealand.

Courtney Letica, chief executive officer of Medleaf, formed a vision after he witnessed his terminally ill uncle Gregory Moses be denied medical cannabis by Oncology and DHB in March last year.

Moses was given six months to live with terminal cancer of the liver and pancreas, which lead Letica to develop an interest in the body’s synergistic effects and how cannabis worked in parallel with the human endocannabinoid system.

Through extensive research, Letica found multiple documented studies allude to cannabis products being beneficial for cancer patients, especially those going through chemotherapy.

At the end of a medical session Letica attended with his uncle, he proceeded to ask the doctor if he would apply for the MoH for full spectrum CBD oil which is high in CBD and contains no tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

“The doctor’s reaction was nothing short of non-compassionate, selfish, and truly disgraceful,” Letica said.

Moses was so tired of taking pain medicine with major side effects, that he began pleading for medical cannabis.

“I saw people that would rather be illegally healed than legally dead, and that didn’t sit well with me, so I wanted to do something about it,” explained Letica.

Letica’s wish to fight for easier medicinal cannabis access incentivised Medleaf’s support both physically and financially to MCANZ, New Zealand’s only registered medical charity to further the cause for suffering New Zealanders.

“Our aim is to import medical based products direct from our partner facility in Nova Scotia, Mernova Medical Inc. Hoping to have high THC products available for legislation change come December 2019.

We firmly believe New Zealand can secure its place as a global leader in cannabis innovation and the recent regulatory advances reinforce this view. Our intention is to accelerate our efforts to be prepared for the opportunities which are opening up in New Zealand,” said Letica.

Dr. Miri Halperin Wernli, Creso Pharma’s CEO and co-founder also expects the partnership to result in a wide span of new opportunities.

“The partnership is greatly encouraged by the evolving regulatory situation in New Zealand which will lead to a wide range of new opportunities with initial investments by Medleaf,” added Dr. Halperin Wernli.

The binding Letter of Intent signed between the pair emphasises building a comprehensive cannabis business in New Zealand, expanding the partnership to cover CBD based medicinal cannabis products, which can be prescribed by local GP’s.

Medleaf and Creso Pharma already have an existing distribution agreement which covers Creso’s cannabis lozenges cannaQIX®50, which are designed to support the management of chronic pain.

CBD products for animals is also on the horizon later this year for Medleaf. With zero THC, the products will be completely inert and provide a variety of beneficial effects such as anti-inflammatory, joint lubrication, pain and stress relief.

To date, there is no evidence of recreational use of CBD or any public health- related problems associated with the use of pure CBD, World Health Organisation confirms.

Medleaf share the vision and values of its trusted and experienced global partner, Creso Pharma. Together, the partnership will quickly broaden the range of affordable medical cannabis products for introduction to New Zealand.

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