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Campaigners call for national policy on synthetic drugs

Campaigners call for national policy on synthetic drugs

 ABC Miriam Hall reported this story on Monday, June 10, 2013
ELEANOR HALL: Anti-drug campaigners say the New South Wales Government's ban on the sale of synthetic drugs will do nothing to curb use of the dangerous substances.

Synthetic drugs operate in a legal grey area, and are sold at sex shops and tobacconists.

Every state has different laws covering them but manufacturers are able to circumvent bans relatively easily.

Yesterday the New South Wales Government imposed an interim ban on the sale of 18 types of synthetic drugs, as Miriam Hall reports..
MIRIAM HALL: They go by names like Kronic, White Revolver and Black Widow, and they are designed to mimic the effects of illicit substances.

The CEO of the Australian Drug Foundation, John Rogerson, says the substances are dangerous but the problem's not new.

JOHN ROGERSON: This has been a worry ever since the internet came into use really. It's an easy way to get these drugs and of course now we're dealing with the issue that people are selling them in Australia because they're not illegal, so they're currently legal.

So these drugs have popped up all over the place and we just know so little about them.

MIRIAM HALL: Under and interim ban imposed by the New South Wales State Government, around 20 of these synthetic drugs now cannot be sold at any retailer in the state.

But John Rogerson says the problem is bigger than a simple ban.

JOHN ROGERSON: Look it's an appropriate way to act but at the end of the day, all we're doing here is playing catch-up. So every time a new drug comes on the market, we actually then decide to ban it.

MIRIAM HALL: Around the country, each state has a range of different regulations, allowing some of the drugs to be sold in some circumstances.

Rather than a blanket ban, John Rogerson wants governments to force the manufactures to prove the substances are safe before they can be sold.

JOHN ROGERSON: One of the ways that we can do that is really get the federal government to lead this so that we treat these drugs like we do any medicine or food. So that means the onus of proof on the safety of these products is back on the producer or the re-seller.

So basically what we're suggesting is let's treat these drugs like any food or medicine, take them off the market until they're proved safe and then allow them to come back on the market once we know that they're okay for people to use safely.

MIRIAM HALL: The New South Wales ban follows the death last week of a Sydney student who jumped from a balcony. He was believed to have taken one of these synthetic substances.

MEDINAT COMMENT:

Banning the sale of the Chemicals is just a small step to what should happen next! 
Now it is up to respective State Police to do their job and  go for the retailers!
Selling these chemicals in various forms is no less than selling heroin cut with who knows what, it can inflict extreme damage on the user and their lives, and the lives of their loved ones, it has already cost at least one life yet these drug peddlers (shops selling it) are slapped on the wrist.........go figure! if it was heroin, cocaine or even quantity of marijuana they would be in court on charges of selling and supply of illicit substances...a criminal offense! and that friends is how it should be with these retailers, there is no excuse for selling these substances, no excuse to say I didn't know! just look at the packages, it is pretty obvious!
As a society we have to act, we all have a responsibility to act, in the home, in the neighborhood, in our stores in our society, we are desperately sick and fast becoming morally void if we allow this to continue! THERE IS NO EXCUSE ....NONE....no legal excuse, no political excuse no personal excuse, we are all responsible, we need to address it and and need to address it NOW!

MediNat Australia supplies drug testing kits for the early detection of substance use.
Our purpose is to assist in drug use intervention & prevention to assist in breaking the cycle of carnage in our society caused by the use of drugs!
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