17 May 2013

Group disappointed at response to K2 pledge

9:57 pm on 17 May 2013

A drug advocacy group is disappointed at the Government's response after it convinced makers of the legal high K2 to stop selling it in New Zealand.

New legislation will come into effect in August this year requiring legal high manufacturers to prove that their products are safe before they can be sold.

The Star Trust, which represents most of the country's legal high companies, said they want prove they are serious about creating a safe environment for new psychoactives.

The trust said K2's brand owner will remove the synthetic cannabis product before August.

But associate Health Minister Peter Dunne said it appears the company is trying to engender some goodwill now, having already inflicted misery on the community.

Trust spokesperson Grant Hall said he had hoped that Mr Dunne would be encouraged by the voluntary removal of K2.

"If these people genuinely have malicious intentions and were solely profit focused, then surely they would keep the product in the market, maximise profits and run it right though to August 1st.

"We think that by pulling it now, two-and-a-half months away, they've actually hopefully showed that they are serious about safety."

However, Mr Dunne is sceptical about the company's motives and is concerned that the drug might return to shelves under a different name.