Govt must support synthetic cannabis Bill

If Winston Peters is serious about cracking down on synthetic cannabis with the ‘greatest urgency’, he must support National MP Simeon Brown’s Psychoactive Substances (Increasing Penalty for Supply and Distribution) Amendment Bill currently before Parliament.

“It’s good to see Mr Peters agrees we need to do something to eliminate synthetic cannabis which is wreaking havoc on our communities,” Mr Brown says.

“In the last 12 months alone, there have been up to 45 suspected deaths as a result of synthetic cannabis use.

“New Zealanders struggling with addiction to this insidious drug don’t have time to wait while the Government figures out what to do.

“That’s why the Government’s first step must be to support my Member’s Bill which will increase the penalties for suppliers of synthetic drugs from a maximum of two years’ imprisonment to a maximum of eight years imprisonment.

“The sooner my Bill is passed, the sooner we can start taking suppliers off the streets and deterring them from producing and/or supplying synthetic drugs.

“I am happy to meet with Ministers to discuss my Bill and any other possible measures that can be implemented now to urgently tackle synthetic drug use.”

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