Recalled Kronic 'contaminated'

The Ministry of Health has ordered retailers to stop selling Kronic Pineapple Express because it contains the anti-anxiety medication phenazepam. File photo / Thinkstock

An importer and a supplier of a popular brand of synthetic cannabis recalled by the Ministry of Health today both say the product had been "contaminated" by a prescription drug without its knowledge.

The ministry has ordered retailers to stop selling Kronic Pineapple Express because it contains the anti-anxiety medication phenazepam.

Stargate Operations Limited imports the cannabinoid compounds used to produce Kronic Pineapple Express.

It was not aware the compounds used to produce the Pineapple Express flavour contained phenazepam and would not have imported them if it had known, the company said in a statement today.

It was not clear how the contamination occurred and was investigating how it happened to make sure it did not happen again.

It was also arranging testing of all other Kronic brands for contamination at its own expense.

Any other contaminated brands would be recalled and destroyed, it said.

Stargate was also establishing a chemical testing process to test imported compounds for purity.

The overseas supplier, Lightyears Ahead, said in its statement that the amount of phenazepam found was very small, 300 parts per million.

"Kronic Pineapple Express is not intended to contain, and Lightyears was not aware that it contain, phenazepam."

It immediately withdrew Kronic Pineapple Express from at the request of the ministry, it said.

The company said it would fully cooperate with ministry requests and would carry out its own investigation into the alleged contamination.

Phenazepam, a benzodiazepine, is not available in New Zealand and only appeared to be used in one country for the short term treatment of anxiety and as an anticonvulsant.

It can only be legally supplied when prescribed by a doctor or other prescriber.

Director-General of Health Kevin Woods said people should not consume Pineapple Express and should seek medical advice if they felt unwell.

Kronic is marketed as "legal weed" and creators say there have never been reports of negative side-effects in the seven years it has been on the market.

The product was this month banned in Western Australia, while Tasmania and Queensland have announced plans to tighten restrictions.

Kronic Pineapple Express is one of a several branded herbal smoking products containing synthetic cannabinoids.

The presence of the prescription medicine was first suspected from a screening test last month but it took a month to verify.

Environmental Science and Research is testing about 40 similar products.

Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne said the finding of phenazepam confirmed the dangers of suppliers putting unregulated drugs on the market where their safety was unproven.

"This clearly shows the worth of the Government's moves to change the onus of proof so producers and suppliers of these products need to prove they are safe before they can sell them."

At the moment it is up to authorities to prove products were unsafe before they can be taken off the market.

The Government would in coming weeks place restrictions on the sale and marketing of products such as those containing synthetic cannabinoids in proposed amendments to the Misuse of Drugs Act, Mr Dunne said.

Smokefree legislation means that it is already illegal to sell these products to those under 18.

- NZPA