KRONIC USE TO BE CURTAILED: GOVT

A planned crackdown on "cannabinoid" substances will severely curtail
the use of controversial synthetic cannabis product Kronic, Associate
Health Minister Peter Dunne says.

It was this morning revealed one or two patients are admitted to
Auckland Hospital every day with symptoms related to smoking Kronic.

A hospital spokesman said most of the patients are aged between 16 and
21.

Mr Dunne said an amendment to the Misuse of Drugs Act 2005 targeting
"Kronic", along with other widely available products such as "Spice"
Aroma" and "Dream", was set to be passed by parliament within weeks.

It would restrict where the products could be advertised and sold,
along with strengthening laws making them illegal to under-18s.

"The new legislation will enable us to develop the regulations to make
Kronic a restricted substance and I have directed officials to ensure
that occurs shortly after the legislation is passed."

Mr Dunne originally announced the changes in March.

He also endorsed a recent Law Commission report calling for a
preventative model where new drugs have to be proved safe before being
approved for sale in New Zealand.

The report said current laws were "entirely anomalous" when compared
to UN conventions on drug use.

Mr Dunne said Government would be looking "very seriously" at
accepting the law commission recommendations.

"We cannot have this ongoing situation where we have to wait to a
product is already on the market and then, authorities have to prove
that it is unsafe, and when we do, they change an ingredient or two
and we are back to square one.

"It is horse before cart... it needs to be the other way around. They
will need to prove that their products are safe or they will not be
able to sell them.

"They are making the money; they are producing a product and they need
to prove that it is safe; not the other way around."

Mr Dunne said that advice from the Expert Advisory Committee on Drugs
(EACD) has to date been that Kronic has been a low health risk

But he had instructed health officials to obtain fresh data on people
seeking hospital or medical treatment.

KRONIC CASES

* Auckland City Hospital emergency department often treats one or two
synthetic cannabis smokers a day.

* Most patients are aged 16 to 21.

* About 10 calls are made every month to the National Poisons Centre
about the products.

* Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne says he will "look at what
further steps can be taken".