Pubdate: Tue, 05 Mar 2013
Source: Toronto Star (CN ON)
Copyright: 2013 The Toronto Star
Contact:  http://www.thestar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/456
Author: Kate De Castro
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v13/n098/a09.html

CRACKDOWN NEEDED ON SYNTHETIC DRUGS

Re: Izms, an alternative to marijuana, skirts illegality, March 2

Who really pays for the federal government's lazy approach to the
Controlled Drugs and Substances Act?

Despite the fact that Izms have been known to cause seizures and
suicide, the government has still not addressed this drug issue, even
after being sold legally on the market for three years. In fact there
is still controversy on whether or not the drug is even legal.

The government should be attacking this issue directly, but instead
they continue on in hopes that the new drug is "similar" enough to be
listed as illegal. Government officials should be taking more urgent
action in classifying and lawing new synthetic drugs like Izms, which
pose a real threat to citizens of Toronto.

Alan Young, brings the issue to light, saying that Health Canada is
"too lazy" to revise the current legislation. Others say that such law
amendments could take years, however our citizen's safety must be
ensured today.

Take into account the U.S. government, which banned the same synthetic
drug in March of 2011. It is clear that our federal protectors lag
behind in amending current legislation to protect Canadian citizens
while illegal chemists continue to experiment and create dangerous
substances. This forces readers to ask: How useful is our own government?

Others argue that people will never be satisfied with the way the
government handles drug laws. The dispute over such legal drugs is
similar to the controversy over marijuana itself, the legality of
which was debated over many times.

One alternative solution, a similar concept to the way alcohol is
regulated, involves the government choosing to legalize a drug while
maintaining full control over how it is administered. This will not
only reduce crime rates, but will create certainty that drugs are
being taken safely. Overall, there are many different paths the
government can take in efforts to protect its citizens, and yet
officials still remain silent over the issue.

The larger issue is the effect of this seemingly benign substance on
the unsuspecting user who thinks he's just getting some form of "legal
pot." Even the developer who synthesized this drug, John Huffman,
admitted that it is not safe and was not created for human
consumption.

But who knows this? The police do. The feds do. But unfortunately,
young club-goers who think they are buying artificial pot may end up
in the emergency department with a psychotic episode or worse.

The point is that when dangerous drugs are marketed so freely, buyers
aren't aware that they can be harmful. Like all street drugs, you
don't know for sure what's in them, but the government does little to
bring attention to the dangers of legally marketed drugs.

As citizens of a democracy, Torontonians must question the usefulness
of their government when it fails to even protect the safety of the
people who gave them power in the first place.

Izms are just the tip of the iceberg. There are many other drugs
currently being concocted in "illegal" labs to get people high
regardless of the dangers. Illegal chemists are creating new street
drugs faster than these drugs can be listed in the CDSA and are
thereby escaping the law, prosecution and endangering fellow citizens.

So remind me again, why is this OK?

Kate De Castro, Toronto
- ---
MAP posted-by: Matt