WELLINGTON, New Zealand – August and September 2013. The Psychoactive Substances Regulatory Authority says the first part of the establishment of the new law has been completed, with the ending last week of a 28-day application period for interim licensing. Dr Stewart Jessamine, Group Manager, Medsafe says the interim licences will last until the introduction of the Act’s regulations, which are being drawn-up over the next few months. Licence holders will then have to re-apply. The Ministry has published on its website a list of current approved licence holders, and applications still under consideration, which can be viewed here: Interim Product Approvals and Interim Licences.
The Psychoactive Substances Regulatory Authority has refused applications for six products seeking interim approvals under the new Psychoactive Substances Act. Products that have been refused approval include the product G-13, three Kronic brand products (Kronic Skunk, Kronic Tropical Explosion and Kronic Pineapple Express) and two Kryptonite branded products (Kryptonite Green and Kryptonite Red). The manager of the Psychoactive Substances Regulatory Authority, Dr Donald Hannah, says the six products were all assessed to pose more than a low risk of harm. "The applicants cannot now import, manufacture, wholesale or retail these six products. The product that is out there must be recalled." Dr Hannah says the Authority has reviewed reports of adverse reactions from a range of sources including the National Poisons Centre and hospital emergency departments. The Authority has used a risk-scoring framework based on the severity of adverse reactions to determine if products pose more than a low risk of harm to users.
Dr Hannah says the Authority, in conjunction with Police and public health units, is also actively monitoring compliance with the Psychoactive Substances Act, including by those retailers granted interim licences. From around an estimated 3 to 4 thousand psychoactive substance retailers prior to the Act, around 110 retail licences have been issued to date. The Psychoactive Substances Regulatory Authority has suspended licences in Hawera and Dunedin after applicants in both cases appear to be using premises that do not comply with the requirements of the Act. A suspended licence means that the licence holder is not able to continue to sell psychoactive substances while the Authority is now working through the statutory process to investigate whether these retail licences should be revoked.
A list of licences, including those suspended or surrendered, can be accessed online.
For more information please see:
http://www.health.govt.nz/news-media/media-releases/psychoactive-substances-act-interim-licensing-period-closes
http://www.health.govt.nz/news-media/media-releases/authority-acts-over-breaches-new-psychoactive-substances-law
http://www.health.govt.nz/news-media/media-releases/authority-refuses-approval-six-psychoactive-products