poledriver
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NZ - Garner's 'whacked out' legal high experience
A paranoid, repetitive and disassociated journalist is probably not what a radio station normally wants on its airwaves, but that's exactly what RadioLIVE got from drive host Duncan Garner.
The former 3 News political editor had a "change of personality" on Thursday with the help of some dairy-bought synthetic cannabis.
Garner smoked one joint of Juicy Puff, an easily purchased synthetic drug which claims to have seven out of 10 strength, and almost instantly the effects were evident.
VIDEO: Duncan Garner tries synthetic cannabis
A video of the experiment, which was supervised by Auckland Hospital emergency room doctor and Garner's friend Tom Mullholland, shows the radio host losing his balance and repeating himself just moments after smoking the joint.
"I was really nervous going into it, and then I had the stuff, and almost immediately I started repeating my words," says Mr Garner. "I got light and my words started repeating, repeating repeating, like that."
Later, while Dr Mullholland attempts to perform basic cognitive tests, Mr Garner lashes out, accusing him of changing the rules.
"I know you well and I thought 'gee I wouldn't want to have a beer with him on this stuff, this might get uglier'," Dr Mullholland told Mr Garner in a follow-up interview on RadioLIVE.
A couple of hours after smoking, when most of the effects had worn off, Mr Garner described himself as whacked out, angry, paranoid and disassociated while under the influence of Juicy Puff.
Tests revealed his blood pressure had dropped significantly and his memory was slightly impaired.
"It wasn't a good experience – and I'm a reasonably well-sized, grown man approaching 40. What if it was a 17-year-old girl or boy?"
VIDEO: Duncan Garner on Firstline (sober)
Dr Mullholland said he noticed four effects of the drug: dizziness, a change of personality, slight decrease in memory and an impaired ability to follow instructions.
Mr Garner, who has campaigned on his radio show against the sale of synthetic cannabis in dairies, performed the experiment to highlight the dangers it posed.
"A number of people have said to me… 'You should try it, you don't know what you're talking about,'" says Mr Garner.
"So I think I'm even more experienced now to say, 'Hang on a second, I really don't think this should be in dairies now. I really don't think it should be available outside our schools.
"Now why can't the Government – who's changing the law around the GCSB under urgency to legally spy on New Zealanders – bring it out of convenience stores? Do we have to wait until August? Is there nothing we can do in New Zealand to bring this forward?"
On Thursday, two chemicals in synthetic drug K2 - reported to be nine out of 10 strength - were banned making it illegal to possess or sell the drug.
Mr Garner says RadioLIVE conducted a survey of 295 dairies, and found of the 73 that sell K2, 23 said they'll keep on selling it despite the ban.
Read more: Garner's 'whacked out' legal high experience - Story - NZ News - 3 News http://www.3news.co.nz/Garners-whac...3/articleID/297189/Default.aspx#ixzz2T1iGc1XU
A paranoid, repetitive and disassociated journalist is probably not what a radio station normally wants on its airwaves, but that's exactly what RadioLIVE got from drive host Duncan Garner.
The former 3 News political editor had a "change of personality" on Thursday with the help of some dairy-bought synthetic cannabis.
Garner smoked one joint of Juicy Puff, an easily purchased synthetic drug which claims to have seven out of 10 strength, and almost instantly the effects were evident.
VIDEO: Duncan Garner tries synthetic cannabis
A video of the experiment, which was supervised by Auckland Hospital emergency room doctor and Garner's friend Tom Mullholland, shows the radio host losing his balance and repeating himself just moments after smoking the joint.
"I was really nervous going into it, and then I had the stuff, and almost immediately I started repeating my words," says Mr Garner. "I got light and my words started repeating, repeating repeating, like that."
Later, while Dr Mullholland attempts to perform basic cognitive tests, Mr Garner lashes out, accusing him of changing the rules.
"I know you well and I thought 'gee I wouldn't want to have a beer with him on this stuff, this might get uglier'," Dr Mullholland told Mr Garner in a follow-up interview on RadioLIVE.
A couple of hours after smoking, when most of the effects had worn off, Mr Garner described himself as whacked out, angry, paranoid and disassociated while under the influence of Juicy Puff.
Tests revealed his blood pressure had dropped significantly and his memory was slightly impaired.
"It wasn't a good experience – and I'm a reasonably well-sized, grown man approaching 40. What if it was a 17-year-old girl or boy?"
VIDEO: Duncan Garner on Firstline (sober)
Dr Mullholland said he noticed four effects of the drug: dizziness, a change of personality, slight decrease in memory and an impaired ability to follow instructions.
Mr Garner, who has campaigned on his radio show against the sale of synthetic cannabis in dairies, performed the experiment to highlight the dangers it posed.
"A number of people have said to me… 'You should try it, you don't know what you're talking about,'" says Mr Garner.
"So I think I'm even more experienced now to say, 'Hang on a second, I really don't think this should be in dairies now. I really don't think it should be available outside our schools.
"Now why can't the Government – who's changing the law around the GCSB under urgency to legally spy on New Zealanders – bring it out of convenience stores? Do we have to wait until August? Is there nothing we can do in New Zealand to bring this forward?"
On Thursday, two chemicals in synthetic drug K2 - reported to be nine out of 10 strength - were banned making it illegal to possess or sell the drug.
Mr Garner says RadioLIVE conducted a survey of 295 dairies, and found of the 73 that sell K2, 23 said they'll keep on selling it despite the ban.
Read more: Garner's 'whacked out' legal high experience - Story - NZ News - 3 News http://www.3news.co.nz/Garners-whac...3/articleID/297189/Default.aspx#ixzz2T1iGc1XU