Posts by Russell Brown
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A typically good-natured interview with the Phoenix Foundation by Mikey Havoc on Hauraki.
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Hard News: The perilous birth of the…, in reply to debunk,
They note that “many of these substances are actually naphthoylindole (or other) derivatives rather than cannabis derivatives.”
Fair enough. They all have an affinity for the cannabis receptors in the brain, but “synthetic cannabinomimetics” is a more precise term than “synthetic cannabis”. Turns out all the JWH chemicals are in the naphthoylindole family – so they’re analgesics.
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Hard News: Friday Music: Record Store Day, in reply to Mark Cubey,
Cian is a good mate of Jason so that’s probably why the Smiley stash is at Conch. Certainly eclectic.
I don't have much cash at the moment, but I think I'm going to have to get over there on Saturday morning.
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Hard News: Friday Music: Record Store Day, in reply to Alan Perrott,
while the day is fun and all I’m getting a bit leary on the whole RSD thing. if you haven’t read the letter posted on the Kudos site, I recommend it…
Interesting. It does bear noting that RG is acting in the spirit of the day by limiting the specials to 500 copies.
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Access: I Can’t See You, But You Should…, in reply to Sacha,
Thank you Jonathan. Our lack of a place in important conversations has long frustrated me. Like you I have freely offered the expertise I have built to media editors and producers who simply don’t bother engaging.
And I've seen you do so politely and in an appropriate context, and get nothing.
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Indeed I initiated some dialogue with the Editor of the New Zealand Herald, or at least attempted to, last year. My offer to write some pieces on disability issues apparently didn’t even warrant a reply, despite similar pieces being published in other countries.
Well, I'm delighted to have you here.
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Hard News: The perilous birth of the…, in reply to debunk,
Well that’s interesting. And what happened then ..ie what service/feedback/action does the National Poisons Centre offer in response to such enquiries ?
Good question. I'm going to include that in some follow-up questions.
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Here's a graph showing that calls to the National Poisons Centre about synthetic cannabis spiked massively -- to about two a day -- after the Psychoactive Substances Act became law in July last year.
Why? Because the Act immediately required that a contact number for the National Poisons Centre be listed in product packaging.
Some calls were from people simply seeking information, others reporting acute effects, mostly vomiting. Significantly, callers were able to cite the exact product and active substance, because that had to be on the packaging as well.
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After my little spin at Real Groovy on saturday, I will be heading along to see Hypnic Jerk play at this gig.
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Oh look – my OIA data from the Ministry of Health has arrived. Or some of it, anyway.
Stay tuned.
