WHERE'S ACTION OVER SYNTHETIC CANNABIS?

What on earth is Peter Dunne doing?

As the weeks tick by and evidence mounts, I find it unbelievable he
and his Government colleagues are not being tough enough or acting
quickly enough over synthetic cannabis.

In March this year, this newspaper reported local teens were getting
high on the legal synthetic cannabis Kronic. We discovered it was
being sold near a school and spoke to a mother who was shocked to
discover her son slurring his speech while high on the stuff.

Our coverage included front-page and feature stories.

Since then, publicity surrounding this controversial substance has
gathered pace across the media, with people speaking out. Recently
this has culminated in two things.

The first was Mr Dunne, the Associate Health Minister, promising to
introduce restrictions on the product. These included making it legal
only for people 18 and over, making manufacturers prove it is safe
and a clampdown on where it can be sold.

The second is the shocking revelation this week that one type of
Kronic has been pulled from shelves because it contained phenazepam,
an anti-anxiety and anti-convulsion drug.

I could not believe it when I heard this, although considering many
drugs are tainted and impure, perhaps I shouldn't have been.

Kronic can be bought as a "pre-rolled joint", usually contains the
1,1-dimethyloctyl homologue of the substance CP 47,497, a synthetic
substantially similar to the main active component of cannabis,
tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

I am not a scientist, but it seems pretty clear Kronic can give users
a similar sensation to natural cannabis.

So, why is one legal and one illegal?

This does not make sense.

The scary thing for parents is that teenagers will be getting access
to Kronic - and their health and safety, as well as their general
wellbeing, will be at risk.

Medical experts have been saying it is dangerous and they are seeing
people seeking help and in hospital as a result.

Other countries have seen the light. Western Australia has banned it
and the state of Georgia in the United States moved to ban it late in 2008.

But a Bay of Plenty Times Weekend street survey of 100 people found
69 per cent of those questioned in downtown Tauranga want Kronic banned.

Of 132 people who took part in an online poll on our news website
bayofplentytimes.co.nz this week, 84 per cent believe it should be banned.

The Police Association also wants it made illegal.

Tauranga MP Simon Bridges says he thinks retailers should boycott it,
but I believe he should be supporting a complete ban.

I was surprised Mount Maunganui general practitioner Dr Tony Farrell,
who is outspoken over alcohol, did not want to see Kronic banned
because doing so would send sales to the black market.

Get Smart clinician Krista Davis, who works with teens in Tauranga
high schools, also doubted banning it would stop people using it.

I disagree. If these were good enough arguments then we may as well
make all drugs legal.

We have enough problems in our community with alcohol and drugs
without adding legal, synthetic cannabis to the list.

If it was illegal and harder to get, then we would be able to
minimise the damage and problems.

As a health minister, Mr Dunne has a responsibility to help safeguard
public health. So far, he has fallen short of doing his job.

Come on, Mr Dunne. This is a no-brainer. Use your power and influence
to ban Kronic now before we have a tragedy on our hands.