The Awards for Australia and New Zealand 2025 have officially launched, with the first entry deadline arriving in just four weeks.
At last year's ceremony, Tasmanian Botanics, Kind Medical and Biortica Agrimed claimed multiple trophies before an audience of 400 guests, with the event selling out for the second consecutive year.
Competition in 2025 is shaping up to be just as fierce, with cannabis companies, healthcare providers, educators and industry advocates vying across 20 categories.
Acting on feedback from the judging panel, R&D Project of the Year has been absorbed into the Award for Industry Advancement, while Start-up Company and Product Launch of the Year have been merged into a single category.
Entries close for the first deadline on March 7, the shortlist will be revealed on April 10, and the awards presentation is scheduled for May 22 at the Plaza Ballroom in Melbourne.
Judging will again follow a two-stage process, with jurors assessing the entries in their allocated categories and selecting a shortlist during the first stage.
In the second stage, each judging group will convene via video call to discuss the shortlisted entries before casting their votes independently.
Although voting remains confidential and independent, the format allows judges to exchange knowledge and work through questions — such as regulatory compliance — before reaching their decisions.
To protect the integrity of the program, jurors will not vote in any category where they hold a direct interest or face another conflict.
Joining the judging panel for the first time this year are Humacology CEO James Dale, global healthcare and cannabis consultant and author of Cannabis Queens Melanie Wentzel, former Vitura Health CEO Rodney Cocks, Griffith University communication lecturer Hannah Adler and FoliuMed founder and CEO Oliver Zugel.
They are joined by political figures including Greens NSW MP Cate Faehrmann, Legalise Cannabis WA MP Dr Brian Walker and Legalise Cannabis Party federal senate candidate Fiona Patten. Healthcare practitioners on the panel include Cannabis Clinicians Australia president Dr Joel Wren, GP Dr Matty Moore and ANZ College of Cannabinoid Practitioners president Dr Orit Holtzman.
International representation comes from SOMAÍ Pharmaceuticals CEO Michael Sassano, Prohibition Partners co-founder and CEO Stephen Murphy and global cannabis industry consultant Deepak Anand.
From academia, Southern Cross University clinical research fellow Dr Janet Schloss and Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics deputy academic director Professor Jonathon Arnold join Hannah Adler on the panel.
Industry bodies are represented by MCIA executive officer Patty Holmes, AMCA general manager Gail Wiseman, Australian Cannabis Cultivators chair Emily Rigby, NZ Medicinal Cannabis Council executive director Sally King and Australian Industrial Hemp Alliance president Charles Kovess.
Consultants on the jury include Cassandra Hunt, Rhys Cohen, Clare Barker and Ben Quirin, alongside honahlee co-founder Tom Brown, award-winning documentary filmmaker and journalist Helen Kapalos, Astrid Dispensary founder and CEO Lisa Nguyen, Omega Assets director and Health House International founder Paul Mavor, OnTracka founder and product CEO Chad Walkaden, Pharmalytics founder and MD Dr Russell Kinghorn and co-founder Kim McKay.
Sponsored by Humacology, The Thailand Cannabis Group, CMI Safe Company, Oz Medicann Group, MedTEC Pharma and MCC Labels, with support from Medicinal Cannabis Industry Australia, the Australian Medicinal Cannabis Association and Cannabis Council Australia, the 20 awards will be presented across the following categories:
Hemp Product of the Year
Award for Innovation
Best Use of Technology
Best Education/Engagement Initiative
Clinic of the Year
Dispensary/Pharmacy of the Year
Best Patient-Focused Initiative
Environmental, Social and Governance Award
Start-up/Launch of the Year
Cultivator of the Year
Manufacturer of the Year
Best Place to Work
Best Industry Newcomer
Prescribing Healthcare Practitioner of the Year
Nurse of the Year
Award for Industry Collaboration
Award for Industry Advancement
Medical Science Liaison Team of the Year
Business Leader of the Year
Company of the Year
Co-founder Martin Lane said: "We're really excited to welcome our new jurors this year, who will bring different perspectives and a wealth of experience to the judging panel.
"We pride ourselves on the independence of our editorial coverage and the The Cannabis Observer Awards have the same high standards of integrity.
"No jury member will judge a category where they have a commercial or other conflict of interest and, while we are very grateful to them and our sponsors, their support has no bearing on the final results."
Sam Saunders, chief creation officer at 2025 headline partner Humacology, added: "As an industry, it's always great to come together and catch up with old friends and meet new ones. More than that, the The Cannabis Observer Awards shine a light on worthy recipients whose work we might not have had the chance to know about yet.
“They inspire and motivate us all to work harder, collaborate more as an industry, and, yes, incite jealousy that only makes us hungrier to be better, to create better and grab a coveted award next year.
“It's truly our honour at Humacology as the headline sponsor to support the The Cannabis Observer Awards 2025 and to help them grow, inspire and motivate us all.”
For more information about the Awards for Australia and New Zealand 2025 and to enter, click here.
