17 May 2013

Panel named to design legal highs testing regime

9:57 pm on 17 May 2013

A panel has been appointed to establish a safety testing regime for legal highs and includes an animal welfare expert.

Legislation to regulate party pills and synthetic cannabis products is before a select committee and is expected to become law by August this year.

Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne says the panel will design the law's testing regime under which producers and distributors of legal highs have to prove the products are low risk.

Testing of the products may involve animals and the panel includes SPCA executive director Bob Kerridge.

Other members include Otago University Associate Professor of Medicine Richard Robson, who will chair the panel, as well as experts in toxicology, pharmacology, law and addiction.