Full Steam Ahead to Deal with Legal Highs Misery
New Zealand First wants manufacturers of legal highs to be immediately required to prove the synthetic drugs are safe
before being sold, says New Zealand First Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters.
“We are calling on all parties in Parliament to take swift, urgent action to end the legal highs crisis by supporting a
‘prove it is safe’ clause as an amendment to the Psychoactive Substances Act.
“Let’s face it we all got sucked in by so-called experts on this issue.
“What New Zealand First wants is effectively a ban.
“The public and local government all over New Zealand are screaming for help - as MPs we must listen and take
appropriate action. Clearly the government is doing nothing.
“All parties now have a chance to act in the best interests of the public, and to respond now, not some time in the
future.
“New Zealand First believes manufacturers will be discouraged from applying to sell recreational drugs once they are
faced with a raft of tests, trials and approvals that will be extremely costly.
“Pharmaceutical drugs are subject to rigorous and lengthy testing, a safety regime that should have been applied to all
recreational synthetic drugs.
“Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne has been dilly-dallying as families and communities have been enveloped by fear,
grief and anger. Local authorities have become frustrated as they try to grapple with placing restrictions on legal high
shops.
“While a requirement to prove the product is low risk is part of the Psychoactive Substances Act passed in July last
year, it does not take effect till some undetermined time. The time for action is now.
“MPs must take some of the blame, having been persuaded to vote for government legislation that was weak and that pushed
responsibility on to local government.
“Peter Dunne has rapped councils over the knuckles for being tardy in restricting shops, but the Government must accept
that it should have put an adequate law in place instead of passing the buck to councils.
“The Act has not ended the nightmare for families and communities as sufferers, mostly young, have been caught up in the
trap of buying and becoming addicted, and the police, the hospitals and welfare agencies are left dealing with the
mess,” says Mr Peters.
ENDS