Pubdate: Tue, 02 Jul 2013
Source: Taranaki Daily News (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2013 Fairfax New Zealand Limited
Contact:  http://www.thedailynews.co.nz/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1056
Author: Leighton Keith
Copyright: 2013 Fairfax NZ News

DRUGS ALTERED TO BEAT BANS, LIVES PLACED 'IN DANGER'

Synthetic cannabis manufacturers are putting lives in danger as they
tweak products to get around bans, a forensic scientist says.

New Plymouth teenager Logan Wilson was admitted to hospital last week
with kidney and heart failure after smoking the legal high Kryptonite.

The 19-year-old spent five days in the intensive care unit at Taranaki
Base Hospital, where he was put in an induced coma and was on a ventilator.

Jake Bertie, of NZ Forensic Consultancy Solutions, told the Taranaki
Daily News manufacturers were making minor modifications to the
chemicals used in the products to get around government bans.

"One method that appears to have become relatively common is to
replace a hydrogen atom with a fluorine atom," Mr Bertie, who has a
masters in forensic science from Auckland University, for research
focused on legal highs in New Zealand, said.

Although he had not analysed the chemical contents of Kryptonite, Mr
Bertie said concerns had been raised over the potential danger to the
kidneys by fluorinated synthetic cannabinoids.

He said two fluorinated synthetic cannabinoids,had been linked to
kidney damage.

The American Centres for Disease Control recently published documented
cases of kidney damage in which the victims had smoked products
containing fluorinated synthetic cannabinoids, Mr Bertie said.

Taranaki District Health Board emergency department physician Greg
Stevens said there was anecdotal evidence that more people who had
been using the synthetic cannabis products were seeking medical
treatment at hospitals. "The effects can range from confusion,
headaches, nausea and being generally unwell to more-severe cases that
can cause serious harm including seizures."

Dr Stevens said just because the products were not illegal it did not
make them safe and he wanted to see them removed from sale.

He said friends and family of anyone who had suffered an adverse
effect needed to let medical staff know what the patient had taken so
that appropriate treatment could be given.

Mr Wilson, who wants his experience to serve as a warning to others to
avoid the products, was moved from ICU to a ward yesterday but is
still expected to spend a couple more days in hospital. His kidneys
are only just working.

His mother, Kerry Robinson, said the Government should be doing more
to protect the public.

"It's horrific. It's absolutely insane that it can happen in New
Zealand," Ms Robinson said.

"There are certain items that you can only buy in a chemist yet you
can get this in a dairy."

The Psychoactive Substances Bill is being fast-tracked through
Parliament following widespread community anger at the sale of the
products, and is expected to be in force by next month.

The new law will require manufacturers to prove their products are
safe or pose a low risk before they can go on sale.

Logan bought the Kryptonite from New Plymouth's Belt Rd
Dairy.

In May the dairy's owner, Guo Ding Shen, was one of just a few
retailers who refused to sign up to a police campaign to remove the
products from sale.
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