The Ministry of Health is recalling one of the brands of the synthetic cannabis Kronic, called Pineapple Express, because it contains the prescription medicine phenazepam. Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne said phenazepam was an anti-anxiety and anti-convulsion drug. It could be harmful to people with a mental health condition or on other medications, as well as to pregnant women and children. Its effects were more pronounced when combined with alcohol. "This particular product, because it contains a prescription medicine, is now illegal to buy, sell, use or possess without a doctor's prescription." [continues 211 words]
Taking an entire chain of hydroponics stores out of the market will have no effect on commercial cannabis cultivation, a cannabis law reformer says. Police swooped on 35 businesses allegedly supplying cannabis growing equipment on Tuesday, including all 16 branches of Switched On Gardener. Police allege some employees were caught smoking cannabis. More than 500 police were involved in raids this week that led to the arrests of almost 100 people and the busting of 42 commercial cannabis operations. Business employees face charges including selling cannabis plants and dried cannabis over the counter. Some managers and directors have been charged with participating in an organised criminal group and cultivating cannabis. [continues 300 words]
People with physical disabilities or speech impediments could be unfairly netted as part of new a law to test drivers for drugs, a Northland disability advocate says. Under the Land Transport Amendment Bill which comes into force on December 1, police can decide whether a driver is under the influence of drugs by carrying out a compulsory impairment test. If the test shows a driver is impaired, it will be followed with a blood test to determine whether drugs are present. If the blood specimen shows the presence of a controlled drug or prescription medicine, the driver may be charged with the new offence of driving while impaired. [continues 414 words]
The Health Ministry has announced it will relax the rules covering the cultivation of industrial hemp - the low-drug variety of the marijuana plant. Hemp can be used to make edible oils, foods including milk and biscuits, and cosmetics. Its fibres can be used to make rope, textiles, paper and plastics and its by-products can be used as biofuels. Before the regulation change, due to take effect on August 1, hemp grown in New Zealand was subjected to the same strict controls as the illegal drug cannabis. [continues 307 words]
Drug Dealers Are Grabbing A Slice Of The Action By Offering A Pizza Delivery-Style Service. Competition among suppliers in Auckland has driven some to provide a phone-a-foil option so users can get their drug of choice brought to their door. One take-out customer told Truth it was as simple as calling a cellphone number and placing an order. The dealer would give an approximate delivery time. Later the doorbell would ring and cash and drugs would change hands. [continues 278 words]
THIRTY of us stood in a line and when the order came, we dropped our trousers. Underpants? Yep, they also went down. We'd just been conscripted into the air force as teenagers and were being checked for what these days is politely known as a "social infection." Not one of us felt humiliated or degraded. We certainly didn't reckon our human rights had been violated. But youngsters these days, it seems, are far more emotionally fragile--if we believe the garbage spouted by some Youth Law twerps. [continues 376 words]
