If you break a rule in the Medicines Act 1981 and there is no specific penalty, you can go to prison for up to 3 months or get a fine of up to $500. If you keep breaking the rule, you can get another fine of up to $50 for each day you keep breaking it. You will get this penalty if you are found guilty.

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This page was last updated on 27 October 2025

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM56078.

Topics:

Health and wellbeing > Public health

77: Jurisdiction of District Court, or

"Taking a medicines case to the District Court"

79: Liability of principal for acts of agents, etc, or

"Being in charge means you're responsible for what your workers do"

Part 5Enforcement

78General penalty

Every person who commits any offence against this Act for which no penalty is provided elsewhere than in this section is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months or a fine not exceeding $500, and, if the offence is a continuing one, to a further fine not exceeding $50 for every day or part of a day during which the offence has continued.

Compare

1969 No 7 s 39
1979 No 27 s 62

Notes

Section 78: amended, on 1 July 2013, by section 413 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 (2011 No 81).