Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/664438
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 10 APRIL 2016 6 News There's a new and menacing drug in town… TIM DIACONO MALTA is facing an influx of syn- thetic forms of cannabis, that is leav- ing some of its victims hospitalised at the emergency department or Mount Carmel, a drugs expert has warned. "Legal highs are the phenomenon of the day, just as ecstasy was in the 1980s," forensic pharmacist Mario Mifsud told MaltaToday. "We still often speak of drugs in terms of clas- sic drugs but there's a whole array of new substances on the market." He warned that highly special- ised chemists are constantly creat- ing new forms of synthetic drugs, at a faster rate than the authorities can identify and criminalize them. Indeed, 100 new psychoactive sub- stances were identified across Eu- rope in 2015, a rate of two new drugs discovered every week. In Malta, police last year arrested six people who were caught with a total of 36.968g of legal highs. The drugs – colloquially known by names such as 'Sky High' and 'Spice' – tend to physically resem- ble marijuana and are sprayed with chemicals designed to imitate tet- rahydrocannabinol (THC) – the main psychoactive cannabinoid found in cannabis. It can be smoked or brewed, and is some- times sprayed with aromatic chemicals and d e c e p t i v e l y m a r k e t e d as herbal incense and aphrodisiac tea. As they are such a recent and ever- evolving phenomenon, information on synthetic cannabinoids is scant. Their effects tend to closely re- semble those produced by marijua- na – including feelings of relaxation, drowsiness, memory distortion, hal- lucinations and paranoia. However, they are significantly more potent and long-lasting than those of marijuana and a growing body of ev- idence shows that synthetic cannab- inoids can trigger acute psychosis. "The risk is greater depending on the strength of the drug, the user's ability to break the drug down, and the user's genetic predisposition to psychosis," Mifsud said. "Moreover, the drug is most popular among youths. Since their brains are not fully developed, the chances of psy- chosis are higher. "It appears as though the number of patients who have been sent to Mount Carmel for treatment after using synthetic cannabinoids is on the rise." The director of the mental health hospital was unavailable for com- ment at the time of writing. Also concerning is that syn- thetic cannabinoids are sometimes potentised but marketed and sold under the same name as the original version. For example, the original Sky High had included the synthetic cannabinoid MDMB-CHMICA, while a new one currently on the market contains the stronger chem- ical 5F-MDMB-Pinaca. Fatalities have been recorded from this drug, although none yet in Malta. Mifsud said that new drugs are traditionally first introduced in northern European markets before gradually infiltrating into the south, and that there is hence considerable time lag before they enter Malta. However, the increasing popular- ity of underground rave parties on the island, the rise of websites sell- ing the drugs, and the fact that many Maltese people now have contacts with dealers in northern countries like the UK and Germany have made them extremely accessible. Synthetic cannabis appears to be significantly cheaper than natural marijuana as well. BRC Chemicals, a British website for 'research chemicals' purports to sell SkyHigh at the rate of £12 (€14.87) per 3g. In contrast, natural marijuana on the Maltese market is estimated to cost between €20- €25 per gram. Mifsud said that synthetic canna- bis tends to be used by people driven by a sense of curiosity, who are seek- ing a more powerful experience to marijuana. "It is not a social drug like ecstacy and is often consumed in the same sort of places – with the same type of music playing – where marijuana is used," he said. "It is often used for experimenta- tion and indeed many people who use synthetic cannabis warn poten- tial future users on online drug fo- rums to stay away from or to dilute them with water. "However, grassroots research on parties where this drug is used is lacking and is necessary to better understand the phenomenon." tdiacono@mediatoday.com.mt "Legal highs are the phenomenon of the day, just as ecstasy was in the '80s" There's a new and menacing drug in town… or brewed, and is some- times sprayed with aromatic chemicals and d e c e p t i v e l y m a r k e t e d as herbal incense and aphrodisiac tea. As they are such a recent and ever- evolving phenomenon, information on synthetic cannabinoids is scant. Their effects tend to closely re- semble those produced by marijua- na – including feelings of relaxation, drowsiness, memory distortion, hal- lucinations and paranoia. However, they are significantly more potent the rise." was unavailable for com- ment at the time of writing. Also concerning is that syn- thetic cannabinoids are sometimes potentised but marketed and sold under the same name as the original version. For example, the original Sky High had included the synthetic Colloquially known as names such as 'Sky High' and 'Spice', these drugs tend to physically resemble marijuana and are sprayed with chemicals designed to imitate THC, the main psychoactive cannabinoid found in cannabis Anti-Islam, immigration 'patriots' to contest general election TIM DIACONO THE self-declared organisation of Maltese patriots will contest the upcoming general election, cam- paigning on an anti-immigration platform. Its president, Alex Pisani, who is a Valletta confectionery owner, told a press conference at the Excelsior Hotel that the group will seek to contest all 13 districts. Secretary general Henry Battis- tino, owner of a mirror factory in Marsa, said that its electoral poli- cies would revolve around concerns about "forced integration" and an "invasion" of foreigners in Malta. These include perceived threats to national security, soaring rent pric- es, and poor conditions for Maltese workers. "We want to safeguard the Mal- tese people at risk of poverty, Mal- tese workers, Maltese families and pensioners," he said. "Christian values and Maltese traditions will be at the heart of this movement's policies." He claimed that the group is al- ready supported by 12,000 people, ostensibly referring to the number of members in its Facebook group. Sunday newspaper Illum – which revealed the patriots' electoral in- tentions last week – had said that people have already expressed will- ingness to fund their electoral cam- paign. The 'organisation of Maltese pa- triots' was founded in 2014 and has since organised a number of largely poorly attended protests against immigration, Islam and integration. Although they have repeatedly insisted that they are not racist, arguing that they are not fighting for their skin colour but for their Maltese identity, their protests have been marred by dubious declara- tions. Pisani has warned that the Mal- tese race risks destruction if Mus- lim women "continue breeding at this rate". "The people don't yet know what integration means, it is like giving people full citizenship rights," he said during their second protest. "These people will be able to bring their relatives over. At this rate, we expect Malta to become an African or Muslim state within the next 20 years. Islam is slowly taking over Europe, but we have one religion, Catholicism, and we are proud of it." He made headlines last year when he warned that fish could be infect- ed with ebola, after having pecked at the bodies of asylum seekers who had drowned off the Libyan coast. In January, the 'patriots' handed out ham sandwiches during a pro- test in Msida as a sign of solidarity with students of the St Paul's Bay primary school who they had heard were forbidden from eating pork at school due to its high population of Muslim students. Education minis- ter Evarist Bartolo was quick to dis- miss such reports as entirely false. The 'patriots' protest in Msida in January against Muslims praying in public