Pubdate: Tue, 29 Apr 2014
Source: Marlborough Express (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2014 Independent Newspapers Limited
Contact:  http://www.marlboroughexpress.co.nz/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1139
Author: Anna Williams

'MARKET HANDED TO CRIMS'

Banning the sale of legal highs will lead to an increase of gangs and
criminals selling the drug on the black market, Blenheim synthetic
cannabis retailers say.

Associate health minister Peter Dunne announced on Sunday the
government would introduce legislation that would remove synthetic
drugs from shelves within three weeks until they could be proven low-risk.

But Boots 'n All owner Andy Hall told the Express yesterday banning
the sale of psychoactive substances would give gangs and criminals a
monopoly on the market.

"If legitimate retailers are removed from the circle, the people left
selling it will be gangs and organised criminals," he said.

"If they get caught, they don't care. They don't have a shop to
lose."

It was already "readily available at a number of places" in Blenheim,
he said.

The government had just handed criminals and gangs a multimillion
dollar business on a plate, he said.

"They might have won the battle, but they've just lost the war," he
said.

He wouldn't comment further until he had more information.

"It's all come as a bit of a shock," he said.

He would not be selling synthetic cannabis at a reduced price but
believed people would want to stock up on it before it was taken off
the shelves.

The owner of Tiger Takeaways, the other synthetic cannabis retailer in
Blenheim, Jamall Henry, was also shocked at the announcement on Sunday.

"I knew something was coming in the wind but I didn't expect it so
suddenly," he said.

"It's ridiculous. All they've achieved is giving money to the black
market. They'll have no tax revenue and no regulations."

Selling psychoactive substances at his High St shop was his
livelihood, he said.

"Banning it is futile," he said.

"All they're doing is forcing it underground. The gangs and the black
markets are going to thrive."

He hoped the government included a support plan for the people who
said they were addicted to legal highs.

"It's going to please the mums and parents of these so-called addicted
children, but is there any support plan for them?" he said.

He wasn't sure if he would stock up on extra product but said it was
inevitable people would buy in bulk.

New Zealand Drug Foundation head Ross Bell said the banning of legal
highs would lead to binge-buying, fire sales, a boosted black market
and addicts withdrawing without support.

Under the act, introduced in July last year, licensed retailers can
sell drugs deemed to pose a low risk of harm.

But the Health Ministry can ban approved products based on reports of
adverse effects.

"If all the laws and regulations had been done at the same time the
act was passed we would not be in this position. We'd be in a much
happier place," Bell said.

Labour had planned to announce its own policy banning psychoactive
substances today but Bell said the party had been spurred on by recent
media coverage of the issue and had "decided to jump on the bandwagon."

The law will take effect as soon as royal assent by the
Governor-General, which would happen within a few days of it passing.
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MAP posted-by: Matt