NSW Fair Trading Assistant Commissioner Robert Vellar today announced Fair Trading inspectors had this week visited 1,044 retailers including tobacconists and adult stores across the state providing information about the new interim product safety ban on synthetic drugs.
Sixty-five retailers were found to have products either still on sale or in stock.
Fair Trading is monitoring a number of websites selling the drugs and gathered information about a number of suppliers.
Mr Vellar said the compliance and education operation had been a significant success given the majority of retailers had removed products from sale after hearing about the new ban.
NSW Fair Trading Minister Anthony Roberts announced an interim ban on 19 named synthetic drugs, including cannabinoids and bath salts, under Section 109 of the Australian Consumer Law, on Sunday 9 June.
The ban is in place for up to 90 days and applies to the sale and supply of named synthetic drugs that can cause significant harm and injury to consumers.
The ban follows a NSW Parliamentary Legal Affairs Committee report, Law Reform Issues Regarding Synthetic Drugs, tabled on 30 May this year.
Synthetic drugs have been widely reported to cause psychotic episodes and sometimes fatalities and the product safety ban applies to products that are the equivalent of those specified in the order. The order and list of banned drugs can be found at Fair Trading website. The South Australian Government yesterday announced it had also placed an interim ban on 19 potentially harmful synthetic drugs.
Anyone with information about retailers supplying synthetic drugs should advise Fair Trading on 13 32 20 or the NSW Police Force.
Contact details
NSW Fair trading enquiries: 13 32 20