Pubdate: Tue, 29 Apr 2014
Source: Otago Daily Times (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2014 Allied Press Limited
Contact:  http://www.odt.co.nz/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/925
Author: Hamish McNeilly

BLACK MARKET IN HIGHS: MAYOR

An underground legal-high industry - including synthetic cannabis 
sprayed with illegal homebake - is causing havoc across the Clutha district.

While the Clutha district had no legal-high stores it had not stopped 
people from filling that market void, Mayor Bryan Cadogan said.

He confirmed reports of people in his area selling synthetic cannabis 
from the back of cars and selling products in return for "favours".

Others were getting overnight courier packages from Dunedin.

He had anecdotal reports of workers failing drug tests after legal 
highs they had smoked had been allegedly laced with homebake.

While he welcomed Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne's decision to 
ban legal highs, "it would be unrealistic to think overnight we could 
eliminate a drug that has such a hard hold across New Zealand".

Despite the black market, he maintained he was happy if the products 
remained underground, "but to me that is exactly where this stinking 
[product] needs to be".

New Zealand Drug Foundation executive director Ross Bell said a black 
market, stockpiling and binge use was only going to get worse when 
the remaining products were removed.

"In a black market, there is no form of consumer protection ... You 
are going to get adulterated products and it is going to make it more 
dangerous for people who choose to use these drugs."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom