Pubdate: Thu, 17 Jan 2013
Source: Toronto Sun (CN ON)
Copyright: 2013 Canoe Limited Partnership
Contact:  http://torontosun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/457
Author: Matt Day

COPS PROBE 'LEGAL WEED' IN CANADIAN STORES

NIAGARA FALLS, ONT. - Police in this city are launching an 
investigation into so-called legal weed that's being sold in some 
convenience stores and head shops across Canada.

The product, called The Izms, is sold in a 1.25-gram candy-like 
package, for between $10 and $20. It comes in a variety of different 
flavours such as Boom Kron, Grape Drank and Gin N' Juice. The 
substance resembles crushed marijuana except it's brown in colour and 
smells fruity instead of skunk-like.

The Izms company's website states it will "get you nice and stoned, 
but won't knock you out."

It apparently does this by using active, "legal" cannabinoids to 
create a high feeling in the user.

But according to Health Canada, there is no such thing as legal 
cannabinoids, prompting questions about whether or not the product 
should be sold over the counter and if parents should be concerned.

Synthetic cannabinoids are similar to preparations of natural 
cannabis and are subject to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, 
said Health Canada media relations officer Sean Upton.

"(We are) aware that there are products being sold in Canada that 
contain these synthetic substances," said Upton in an e-mail. "It is 
illegal to sell, import, produce, export or possess these substances 
or any products containing them unless authorized by regulation or 
via an exemption."

He said there are many dangers in smoking synthetic cannabinoids, 
including hypertension, chest pain, seizures, rhabdomyolysis, 
hallucinations, acute psychosis and vomiting.

The Izms chief executive officer Adam Wookey said the Act's 
definition of cannabinoids is vague and can be interpreted differently.

"It's an overly broad term. They don't list the specific 
cannabinoids, which makes sense because these cannabinoids didn't 
exist when the (act) was created," said Wookey, whose company is 
based in Toronto and Vancouver.

He said the chemical JWH-018 is an active ingredient in the product. 
It produces effects similar to tetrahydrocannabinol, or better known 
as THC, the active ingredient in marijuana that gives users the high.

Julie Di Mambro, press secretary for federal Justice Minister Rob 
Nicholson, said in a statement it's possible to produce synthetic 
versions of the naturally occurring components in marijuana that give 
the plant its psychoactive properties, but that these synthetic 
cannabinoids are illegal in Canada and that police should be relied 
upon to investigate.

Niagara Regional Police Det. Sgt. Terry Thomson said they are aware 
of it and will be launching an investigation soon.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom