Dairy owners are being told they will not bear the cost of returning synthetic cannabis to the distributor, after a new law came into force yesterday banning 43 products.
Following an inquiry from the Wanganui Chronicle on Tuesday, the Health Ministry has now issued advice to retailers saying products should be
returned to retailers as soon as possible, and before the temporary drug class notice comes into force.
"It is ultimately the distributor that is putting these products on the market, and as such, the distributor should bear any loss, and not the retailer," said a spokesman for Minister of Health Tony Ryall.
The quick turnaround of the temporary drug class notice leaves dairies scrambling to get products off the shelf and out of the stock room to avoid penalties under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
Dairy co-owner Vicky Muller was pleased with the Ministry's clarification but said retailers would still bear the brunt of a surplus of accessories that were normally used with the synthetic drug.
According to Ms Muller and another retailer in the city, shoppers were now looking for bargain deal on the products.
"People have been coming in and asking if they can buy one and get one free. But we're saying no."
A statement from Mr Ryall on Monday suggested retailers still had time to get rid of stock, which is expected to be out of shops by the end of next week.
