Pubdate: Mon, 17 Jun 2013
Source: Parramatta Sun (Australia)
Copyright: 2013 Fairfax Media
Contact: http://www.parramattasun.com.au/feedback.aspx?data_id=2422
Website: http://www.parramattasun.com.au/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5303

NATIONAL BAN IMPOSED ON SYNTHETIC DRUGS

The federal government is imposing an interim national ban on 19
synthetic drugs after Sydney teenager Henry Kwan took an LSD-like drug
and fell to his death.

The ban will prohibit the sale and supply of the drugs for 120 days,
giving states and territories time to update their legislation and
outlaw synthetic drugs.

''Synthetic drugs are dangerous substances that can kill and should
not be available for sale,'' Minister Assisting for Deregulation David
Bradbury said.

He called on state and territory governments to conduct an urgent
review of their drug laws to ensure synthetic drugs ''are not falling
through the cracks''.

Last week an operation to enforce the state government's interim ban
on synthetic drugs was launched.

Fair Trading officers took to the streets as part of Operation Salt to
enforce Fair Trading Minister Anthony Roberts' interim product safety
ban on synthetic drugs, including cannabinoids and bath salts.

Parramatta MP Geoff Lee, who visited stores with the officers, said
the state government's action banned synthetic drug substitutes for 90
days.

"It gets around the issue of just changing the packaging or the name
slightly," Mr Lee said.

"Whether it's real heroin or synthetic heroin, real LSD or synthetic
LSD, it needs to be banned."

Synthetic drugs have risen in popularity as "legal highs" that mimic
effects of illicit drugs such as cannabis and cocaine.

Minor changes are often made to banned synthetic drugs so they can be
resold with a slightly different molecular make up or name.

The interim ban covers ''colourable variations of the name'' to deal
with a product circumventing the ban by making these minor
alterations.

For example, if a product name were changed from 'Kronic' to 'Kronyc'
it is still prohibited under the interim product safety ban.

Parramatta convenience store owner Frank Rahim said he had been
approached to sell synthetic drugs but said ''no way''.

''They are not a good thing to sell,'' Mr Rahim said.

''We care about people's wellbeing -- even when people buy cigarettes
here I tell them they should stop smoking,'' Mr Rahim said.

Banned products, or any variation of the name, under the state
government's interim ban includes: White Revolver, Ash inferno, Kyote,
K2, Kronic, Black Widow, Buddha Express Black Label, Iblaze Tropic
Thunder, I blaze, Galaxy Ultra Nova, Skunk, Circus Deluxe, Vortex
Inferno, Herbal Incense, King Karma, Montana Madness, Sharman,
Iceblaze, Slappa.
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MAP posted-by: Matt