Is illicit canna-combo killer in shops?
Candor Trust media release.
 
Candor Trust advises the Community that youth road safety may suffer, if a network of well established NZ party drug shops grows a roaring trade in a Vanilla Rose fragranced smoke-able blend "xxx" (pseudonym - brand name withheld), we'd normally call cannabis. Atop donning the disguise of an upmarket scent, an illicit cannabis product appears to also be sold under deceptive brand names.
 
Heavy duty replacements for BZP of real road safety concern are now being virally marketed in the recreational drug use scene. Trust Member Dr Caballero of Karamea is concerned that "minors can unwittingly buy or mail-order via NZ websites from a designer marijuana based range". The new New Zealand xxx product range contains a cocktail of no less than 8 narcotic, sedative, painkilling and mood altering herbs including Skullcap (strong intoxicant).
 
A strong synthetic cannabis constituent, 1-pentyl-3-naphthoylindole is the kicker, if local xxx is the same spliff now being pulled from the shelves overseas. It was developed by John W. Huffman's research team at Clemson University (USA). The team synthesises analogues of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, for use in fighting cancer and viral diseases.
 
A report written by Huffman states that xxx has approximately five times greater an affinity for brain receptors than natural THC, and is more potent in humans. Discussion by users on drug culture websites notes that "everyone who tries it reports near the exact same thing- a very cannabis like high, more stoney, less psychedelic, munchies, dry mouth, red eye that's strong for about 1.5-2 hours then tapering off over- get this- 6-6..5 hours".
 
The creator of xxx sent an e-ml to inquisitive concerned recreational users in Germany, this month, telling bloggers "We have never investigated the long term effects of xxx in animals, and other than anecdotal data from Der Spiegel and assorted blogs that my wife unearthed there are no data regarding its effects in humans". And to "please emphasise that there are no toxicology data for this compound." 
 
Recent awareness of the illicit chemical contents of the xxx smoking product deceptively sold as "all natural", has seen it banned in the USA, and Canada, where similar synthetic preparations to cannabis are controlled as (supposedly) in NZ. Bans or sale restrictions also apply in Nordic lands, Holland, Austria, Japan, Australia and lately in Germany - pending review, 
 
Candor says the cannabis Doppelganger, likely being sold under the laws nose in most towns round NZ, is probably far worse for road safety than the natural stuff or BZP. The problem is that xxx is both POTent and presented in a cocktail, so it is likely to severely impair driver fitness.
 
"We advise youth who are paying up to $75 to take part in the xxx experiment, that it's not worth your life to drive while under the influence", says Rachael Ford. This covert new cannabis type and combo is not even tested on animals, so it's risks and general toxicity level are not even known".
 
Party Pill research by Butler and Sheridan (2007) exposed a possible trend for designated drivers to use BZP, and Candor's 2007 survey found 1/2 of all drug drivers have passed through NZ Police sobriety sieves while drug influenced. Rachael Ford (Candor Coordinator) says she can think of few acts more hostile to the interests of road safety than selling a cocktail of drowsy drugs to young people, who may be seeking ways to get hammered while avoiding checkpoint scrutiny,
 
Trust Members believe the xxx threat is infinitely more serious than BZP, and that months waiting for a response by working through an underfunded drug policy bureaucracy is unjustifiable given an immediate threat is posed to the road safety of vulnerable youth. Other Countries have utilised temporary bans if they have needed to alter (analogue) laws, which Candor understands may be no issue here.
 
In the absence of random driver drug testing, the Government can not afford to be complacent and eccentric by shutting down a dubious supply at leisure. xxx seems to have gotten by Customs, Police and the Ministry of Health when the panic button should have been pushed in a better regulated environment.
 
Candor calls on responsible Store Owners to pull xxx (name available by request), and has high hopes that the Health Ministry will issue an Advisory banning the concoction at the earliest convenience. Until tests demonstrate 100% safety and legality. It is Candors belief the components of xxx are already illicit under the Misuse of Drugs Act, but tests by Police would be required to confirm it is a cannabis analogue.
 
Pending results it should be placed on the Restricted Substances list to protect minors. It is well worth noting that analogues have previously proved more harmful than the original drugs they sought to mimic.
 
ends

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