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New call to ban synthetic cannabis

'Deadly cannabis rife in WA'

Opposition Leader Mark McGowan has raised the recent deaths of two men in Queensland after smoking synthetic cannabis to again call on the Barnett Government to ban the products in WA.

Mr McGowan, who has raised the issue several times during the past 2½ years, said synthetic cannabis was “rife” in WA and provided media with the names of several shops in the metropolitan area selling it.

He also produced one sachet of a green-leafed product called Gold at his press conference this morning.

Last week two men aged 33 and 41 died in Mackay after smoking synthetic cannabis.

Mr McGowan said: “Enough is enough”.

“At the moment this deadly material is rife throughout our community,” he said.

“I know of shops around our community that are selling synthetic cannabis, it’s freely available, and people are complaining to me about the fact that their families are purchasing it, they’re purchasing it, it’s highly addictive, it’s causing immense grief to many families in WA.

“I’ve had people come into my electorate office, my colleagues have had people come into our electorate offices saying this stuff is out there. Nothing is being done.”

The Government has previously struggled to block synthetic cannabis from hitting shelves because after one chemical ingredient is banned, manufacturers simply move onto a different composition.

Police Minister Liza Harvey said new laws would be introduced “in the near future”.

Under the laws, all substances with psychotropic properties would be banned unless the seller could prove it was not harmful to human health.

Mr McGowan said the Government had had plenty of time to act.

He said if elected, a McGowan Labor government would legislate against synthetic cannabis within 100 days of winning the March 2017 election.

Mr McGowan said it was possible to illegalise the products by creating a broad category of banned ingredients rather than individual chemicals.

He also wanted the requirement to prove a drug’s psychotropic tendencies removed, saying it was difficult to prove in court.

Thirdly, he said consumer laws could be changed to target shops which sell the products on the basis they are a ‘drug’.

“It is two years til the next election and I am determined to set out an alternative agenda to the people of WA,” he said.

“It is fair to say, two years out, we will be delivering on the themes and policies that people expect in the lead-up to the next state election.”

Premier Colin Barnett took aim a Labor’s history on drugs.

“I don't want to be political, it's too early in the year, but don't forget - please do not forget - that it was the Labor Government under Geoff Gallop, of which Mark McGowan was a member, that brought in the softest drug laws in Australia. You can't rewrite history just like that,” he said.

“It's an issue and we are intending to legislate, no doubt about that. This Government is taking a strong position on drugs.”

Mrs Harvey said she looked forward to the support of the Opposition when the Government’s bill was introduced to Parliament.