Deadly illegal drugs being sold in Melbourne sex and tobacco shops

Therese Allaoui
November 25, 2015
Mordialloc Chelsea Leader
Safe Work Laboratories chemist Alp Bekensir tests the synthetic cannabis for illegal substances.
SEX shops and tobacconists across Melbourne are selling illegal, toxic and potentially deadly synthetic drugs over the counter.
And doctors and drug abuse counsellors have warned of the dangers and growing prevalence of synthetic drugs.
The Mordialloc Chelsea Leader was able to buy synthetic cannabis at several chain adult stores as well as smaller independent shops in some of Melbourne’s bayside suburbs.
Two products we bought and had independently tested by Safe Work Laboratories were found to contain illegal, highly toxic and dangerous ingredients.
The samples were handed to police, who said they were struggling with enforcement because targeting dealers relied on forensic testing and because manufacturers constantly changed ingredients in a bid to stay a step ahead of the law.
Despite a major crackdown on the drugs in Queensland — where two deaths this year have been linked to synthetic cannabis — just eight offences involving the possession or trafficking of synthetic cannabis were recorded in Victoria in the past financial year.
This product is available over the counter at sex shops.
One of the products tested and found to contain illegal substances.
While the products are marketed as “incense”, with such names as Sincense and Black Mojo Pot-Pourri, they are intended to be smoked and are manufactured to have similar effects to smoking cannabis.
Safe Work Laboratories spokesman Andrew Leibie said the illegal chemical UR-144 — found in Sincense when tested — was highly “dangerous” and designed to be addictive.
The chemical AM 2201, which gives the cannabis-like effects, was found in both products.
“UR-144 is much more toxic. It’s been associated with many more deaths and certainly been associated more with hospital admissions,” Mr Leibie said.
“It’s very commonly associated with heart attack-like symptoms, erratic pulse, breathlessness, and has a bit of a cannabis effect as well. The reason it’s in there is because it’s very addictive.”
Police said the “rapid emergence” of these products “requires police to obtain and test products they suspect as illegal”.
If a product contains illegal ingredients, police will charge the retailer or offender.
The chemicals usually vary from batch to batch as manufacturers try to stay ahead of substance bans.
However, Leader’s ability to buy synthetics containing already outlawed substances shocked Mr Leibie.
“Normally when you make a type illegal, they just tweak the formula a bit, change the molecular structure, and sell it as a new product,” he said.
Health Department spokesman Bram Alexander said the State Government “moved swiftly” to ban new drug combinations.
An increasing number of people are being admitted to hospital following use of the potentially lethal drugs, hospital emergency doctors say.
Peninsula Health clinical director of emergency medicine Shyaman Menon said the use of synthetic cannabinoids could be associated with serious effects, including heart palpitations and hallucinations.
Turning Point clinical director Matthew Frei said more people were reaching out to the drug and alcohol centre for help overcoming a synthetic cannabis addiction.
“We’re certainly seeing a significant number of people whose principal drug of concern is synthetic cannabis and that’s a change from five years ago when it was virtually unheard of,” Dr Frei said.
But a lack of clinical research, recommendations and guidelines on how to help people with synthetic drug addictions meant it was difficult to help, and had to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, he said.