Pubdate: Wed, 30 Apr 2014
Source: Southland Times (New Zealand)
Column: From the Beehive
Copyright: 2014 Fairfax New Zealand Limited
Contact:  http://www.southlandtimes.co.nz/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1041
Author: Eric Roy
Note: Eric Roy is MP for Invercargill.
Page: 8

LEGAL HIGHS NO MORE

Ever since the first concerns around synthetic cannabis arose, 
Invercargill residents have been asking me to raise their concerns 
over these legal highs in Parliament.

I took the concerns to my colleagues and made forceful arguments on 
behalf of those concerned about the effects these products were 
having on our communities. The Government listened, and last year the 
Psychoactive Substances Act came into force. The act allowed a grace 
period for some legal highs that had been deemed a low risk by an expert panel.

Yet I was still getting complaints and hearing the usual horrific 
stories from Invercargill people about the products that remained on 
the market.

Once again, I took these concerns to my parliamentary colleagues and 
made the point there were still issues. Last week, matters came to a 
head and these substances are now about to be taken off the market.

While, as a result of the act, there was a substantial reduction in 
the number of these products available and the number of outlets from 
which they could be sold, reports of severe adverse reactions 
continued to be received by the National Poisons Centre and Centre 
for Adverse Reactions Monitoring.

It has been impossible to attribute these adverse effects to any 
particular products and, in the absence of that, the Cabinet decided 
last Tuesday to end the transitional period, taking all products with 
interim approval off the market.

When Parliament sits again next week, amending legislation will be 
brought before the House to put this measure in place. It will be 
introduced and passed through all stages under urgency on May 8 and 
come into force the day after receiving the royal assent.

In my years in Parliament, I cannot recall a similar public health 
issue that has been quite so difficult to solve. Expert advice told 
us we were doing the right thing with the Psychoactive Substances 
Act, yet it has been shown that even that strong law was not enough 
to halt the insidious effects of synthetic cannabinoids.

This removal of products from store shelves will hopefully make a 
major difference to what was threatening to be a major public health 
issue for those affected by the use of these substances.

Finally, I would like to congratulate Todd Barclay on being chosen as 
the National Party candidate for the Clutha Southland seat and wish 
him well for the upcoming election.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom