Simon Bridges does not think the Government is doing enough to combat synthetic cannabis and says increasing penalities for dealers would have an impact, however the Minister for Health says there is no evidence that it would work.
Minister of Health David Clark said the Government want to take "a harm reduction approach and do whatever will work urgently because it's a deep concern that this number has spiked".
The Government are looking at “urgent measures” to combat the rise after the coroner found up to 45 people died in the past year. (Source: Other)
It was found that 40-45 people died synthetic cannabis-related deaths in the past year.
Dr Clark said there was no evidence increasing penalties would reduce drug related harm, after being asked about National MP Simeon Brown's member's bill that would extend prison time for synthetic cannabis dealers.
"Those who pedal these drugs need to face the full force of the law, I agree with that, but none of them are pedalling drugs thinking they're going to be caught at the moment, I think that's one of the concerns," Dr Clark said.
National Party leader Simon Bridges said Mr Brown's member's bill would "put it on par really with supply of cannabis, and what we're seeing here is the effects are even worse".
He thought "upping" the penalties would have an effect.
Those who take synthetic cannabis "run the risk of dying", said Minister for Police Stuart Nash.
"When people are dying, then that's a pretty big deal," Mr Nash said.
"The thing about synthetic, you just never know what's in it."
He said it was "everything from people in their back sheds with grass-clippings and fly-spray rolling stuff up, to stuff that's being imported".
Mr Nash later told The Spinoff this was only a metaphor and reiterated they do not know what is in synthetic cannabis, but called it "cheap and nasty stuff".
"The suppliers are targeting those at the lower end of the scale, those who are really disaffected, sometimes the homeless, so we've got to come up with a different strategy to get information out there."
Yesterday Acting Prime Minister Winston Peters said the Ministry of Health, Justice, Police and Customs will coordinate "on how to best urgently reduce and the size and supply of the drug with the aim of turning this spike around and getting this dangerous drug out of our communities".
The Acting PM said he’d like to see “some fresh eyes from the street” help Government curb the spike in deaths over the past year. (Source: Other)
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