Pubdate: Sat, 02 Mar 2013
Source: Toronto Star (CN ON)
Copyright: 2013 The Toronto Star
Contact:  http://www.thestar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/456

DANGEROUS MARIJUANA ALTERNATIVE SHOULD BE BANNED

'Izms,' herbs soaked with chemicals, has been linked to suicides and
psychotic episodes in United States and should be banned in Canada.

If it looks like a drug, tastes like a drug and induces suicidal
psychotic episodes like a drug, then it must be, well, at least a
banned substance. Apparently not, though, at least in Canada.

And that's a serious problem because a new herbal concoction that is
being marketed as a legal, synthetic alternative to marijuana is
easily purchased in Toronto corner stores. Given the chemical's trail
of harm across the United States, its unchecked sale here is nothing
short of mystifying.

As the Star's Alex Consiglio reports, the problem lies in a difference
of legal opinion between Health Canada and Adam Wookey, the owner of
Izms, the herbal marijuana "alternative."

Government officials say Izms' active chemical (captivatingly called
JWH-018) is automatically banned because it's similar to cannabis,
which is illegal under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.
Wookey, who once sold a "legal" alternative to ecstasy, says JWH-018
has a different chemical structure and is therefore exempt. (He is
currently on trial under the Food and Drug Act for selling
ecstasy-alternative pills. Health Canada added its active chemical to
the act's banned list last year.)

While federal officials debate legal shades of grey with a guy making
bucks on a chemical buzz, the product is being sold to consumers. It's
a dangerous game.

Most won't know that in 2011 alone, U.S. poison centres logged nearly
7,000 calls related to the chemical. During that time, America's Drug
Enforcement Agency linked it to multiple suicides and psychotic
episodes. The DEA took immediate action and banned the chemical until
legislation was passed to amend the United States' Controlled
Substances Act.

And there lies the potential tragedy for Canadians. Instead of acting
decisively to protect the public, Health Canada officials have adopted
a decidedly chilled vibe. As Osgoode Hall law professor Alan Young
says, "They're kind of being lazy."

Health Canada should break out of its daze and the government should
add this chemical to its list of banned substances. Lax policy
shouldn't put the public at risk.
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MAP posted-by: Matt