poledriver
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2005
- Messages
- 11,543
^ Yeah.. In other Aus news -
Synthetic drug danger
ORGANISED criminals have their eyes on vulnerable regional areas in Queensland to market "legal highs' such as synthetic cannabis, the Crime and Misconduct Commission has revealed.
On Friday the CMC released its intelligence report, Illicit Drugs Markets in Queensland, which showed the disturbing trend in these pseudo drugs.
A Warwick Police spokesman was unavailable to comment whether the Southern Downs had seen a rise in this field, but the report stated if Queensland was to follow state and international trends, it could expect to see organised crime groups increase their presence in the drug analogue market.
The drug analogue market has grown more over the past few years than its traditional counterparts, including ecstasy and heroin.
The CMC predicts there will be an increasing demand for synthetic drugs that mimic the effect of MDMA.
Crime assistant commissioner Kathleen Florian said drug selling was limited in non-traditional areas, like regional towns, but warned organised crime could spread there to meet demand for synthetic drugs.
Ms Florian said there was already evidence of semi-organised crime groups profiting from the sale of drug analogues in regional Queensland.
"At the end of the day, the number-one driver behind organised crime - and particularly drug-related activity - is profit," she said.
"Organised crime groups will do anything to make money, so much so that rivalries have been put aside to form networks, bringing together not only the various organised crime groups within Queensland, but counterparts interstate and overseas."
Ms Florian said one of the biggest misconceptions about drug analogues was that they were safe and legal.
"The truth is that there is little understanding of exactly what's in these drugs and the full extent of associated harms," she said.
She highlighted the fact synthetic cannabis was not a natural product but a chemical sprayed on herbal material.
Synthetic drugs first emerged in Queensland in 2007and the CMC states the internet has been a major facilitator of the market.
The report also stated there was a particular demand for pharmaceuticals in regional areas.
Topics: cmc, drugs, synthetic drugs
http://www.gattonstar.com.au/news/synthetic-drug-danger/1696040/
Synthetic drug danger
ORGANISED criminals have their eyes on vulnerable regional areas in Queensland to market "legal highs' such as synthetic cannabis, the Crime and Misconduct Commission has revealed.
On Friday the CMC released its intelligence report, Illicit Drugs Markets in Queensland, which showed the disturbing trend in these pseudo drugs.
A Warwick Police spokesman was unavailable to comment whether the Southern Downs had seen a rise in this field, but the report stated if Queensland was to follow state and international trends, it could expect to see organised crime groups increase their presence in the drug analogue market.
The drug analogue market has grown more over the past few years than its traditional counterparts, including ecstasy and heroin.
The CMC predicts there will be an increasing demand for synthetic drugs that mimic the effect of MDMA.
Crime assistant commissioner Kathleen Florian said drug selling was limited in non-traditional areas, like regional towns, but warned organised crime could spread there to meet demand for synthetic drugs.
Ms Florian said there was already evidence of semi-organised crime groups profiting from the sale of drug analogues in regional Queensland.
"At the end of the day, the number-one driver behind organised crime - and particularly drug-related activity - is profit," she said.
"Organised crime groups will do anything to make money, so much so that rivalries have been put aside to form networks, bringing together not only the various organised crime groups within Queensland, but counterparts interstate and overseas."
Ms Florian said one of the biggest misconceptions about drug analogues was that they were safe and legal.
"The truth is that there is little understanding of exactly what's in these drugs and the full extent of associated harms," she said.
She highlighted the fact synthetic cannabis was not a natural product but a chemical sprayed on herbal material.
Synthetic drugs first emerged in Queensland in 2007and the CMC states the internet has been a major facilitator of the market.
The report also stated there was a particular demand for pharmaceuticals in regional areas.
Topics: cmc, drugs, synthetic drugs
http://www.gattonstar.com.au/news/synthetic-drug-danger/1696040/