Smoking - Is This the End For Spice?

[Mr. Giraffe]

According to an article in today's Hotpress magazine, the Spice range is about to bite the dust. The text of the article is below, with the relevant bit highlighted in bold.

Cannabis is an extremely valuable commodity: an ounce and a half of weed is worth the same as an ounce of pure gold. The only reason this humble plant trades for such astronomical rates is because it is illegal. As we have reported before, prohibition also invites the sort of toxic contamination which has blighted Ireland's cannabis for a generation. This combination of illegality and poor quality means that Ireland has become the unlikely epicentre of a commercial war between manufacturers of legal cannabis substitutes.

Competition is so fierce that most blends decline to list their ingredients for fear of imitation. The Spice range of legal smokeables is a rare exception in this regard, but amateur chemists have been poring over other blends for some time in the hope of identifying the ingredients. Though there has been a co-ordinated self-censorship effort on the part of manufacturers who won't ship to Scandanavia, the legal highs have established a massive market throughout Europe.

Before 2006, there was no market. Two decades of inferior imitations had left legal highs with a deserved reputation for headache inducing ineffectiveness. When Spice arrived on the market boasting that it was the first alternative to truly work, a weary smoking public greeted the announcement with scepticism. One well-placed source in the head shop industry explained that sales were slow to take off. Initially, Spice accounted for 5% of the weekly turnover. Today, its stronger successors, Spice Gold and Diamond, account for 70% of the weekly shop takings.

Startling sales figures seen by Hotpress indicate that a busy city centre headshop can expect to sell at least 8,000 packets of smokeable herbs per week. Weekly industry sales surpass 30,000 units nationally, and account for a turnover of around €1,000,000 per week. Though its share of the market is set to receed dramatically, the Spice range accounts for much of this income. It can also claim credit for the boom in the smoking blend industry, though credit is not something they would be keen to claim.

That's because, according to the product's manufacturers, Spice is 'not for human consumption'; their now-defunct website illustrated the correct use: it is meant to be burned in a bowl as a room odouriser. At €10 a gram, that puts Spice firmly at the Gucci end of the air freshener market.

It's such a transparent ruse that even the manufacturers have trouble remembering that Spice is only meant to be an incense. When they recently filed an intellectual copyright patent, they inadvertantly added 'smoking blend' along with 'incense' to the list of product uses. Hotpress has seen the patent application, which clearly indicates that Spice is meant to be smoked. This has potentially disasterous ramifications for Spice's UK based manufacturers, Pysche Deli. It effectively spells the end of the Spice range, which will shortly bow out of the market it single-handedly created.

This faux pas was not in the same league as a recent New Zealand case where one popular party pill was found to contain MDMA - the illegal Ecstacy ingredient it was supposed to be aping. The manufacturers concerned are believed to be on the run from the authorities. It is doubtful that the demise of Spice will be as dramatic, but Pysche Deli are sure to be contacted by the authorities, who will enquire after health certificates for their smokeable mixtures.

Hotpress understands that the Spice range will be out of stock in most Irish head shops within a month; the manufacturers are currently in negotiations with alternative suppliers and aim to repackage the product under a slightly different name to avoid the wrath of the authorities. By that stage, it might be too late. The explosion in popularity of the imaginatively titled Smoke, as well as the rise of the US import ZoHai, has severely eroded the share of the market enjoyed almost exclusively for 18 months by the Spice range.

The increasing popularity of legal highs in general, and herbal smokeables in particular, has fuelled a phenomenol rate of growth in the Irish head shop industry, which now comprises at least two dozen outlets, with new stores opening on an almost weekly basis. In the past fortnight, two new stores have opened in Dublin alone - a Nirvana outlet in Balbriggan, and a city centre venture, AK-47, named after the famous weed strain rather than the notorious firearm.

This rampant growth has not gone entirely unchecked, and the usual suspects have been beating the anti-drug drum; veteran drug warrior and self-appointed President of Europe Against Drugs, Grainne Kenny, has had some success convincing local councils to act against headshops. She has scored some notable political success in Wicklow, where the council are attempting to prevent the opening of new head stores.

The state's stance is slightly more ambivalent. Faced with Grainne Kenny's claims that "Mary Harney has no interest in tackling illegal drugs", the government was moved to declare that it had no plans to outlaw cannabis seeds. Seemingly on something of a seasonal roll, Kenny then switched her attention to BZP, the party pill ingredient which has been the subject of increasingly negative media coverage. In a typical Kenny-concocted non-story, the Irish Independent reported that the government planned to ban BZP by next March.

Of course, the EU had already ordered all governments to outlaw BZP by this date, so the government's stance was actually remarkably liberal. When you remember that Mary Harney outlawed magic mushrooms overnight with one wave of her ministerial wand, the government's latter-day lack of prohibitionist vim is intriguing. Is it possible that the government sees legal alternatives as part of the harm reduction solution, or are they simply not paying attention?

The emergence of potent drug-a-likes have markedly impacted on the market, and sales tend to spike in times of widespread drought in the mass drug market. Though they are often on opposite sides of the political and judicial fence, the Gardai are essentially the backbone of the legal high industry. Every time they make a big weed seizure, the smokeable business booms. If they take pills off the streets for a week, punters will buy BZP instead. The net effect is not so much to take drugs off the street as to take certain particularly popular drugs off the street, and replace them with a mixture of other, less popular, drugs.

Whether it is down to official ignorance or blind-eye enlightenment, hard-up tokers should enjoy this legal limbo while it lasts. If you want to calculate when this uneasy freedom is likely to give way, you might like to use some version of the following formula: angry calls to Joe Duffy multuiplied by sensational news pieces divided by science, expressed as a ratio of proximity to next election. Answers on a postcard to Grainne Kenny.

[afarmer]

That happened quickly.

I suppose the answer is to stock up now.

[nibble]

Well I don't see how they'll actually ban it without finding out which cannabinoid is in spice, if they just ban the product then what's to stop the Psyche Deli coming out with a re-branded spice?

[Mr. Giraffe]

Originally Posted by nibble

Well I don't see how they'll actually ban it without finding out which cannabinoid is in spice, if they just ban the product then what's to stop the Psyche Deli coming out with a re-branded spice?

Well nothing; that's what the article says will likely happen.

BTW, this has nothing to do with the authorities; it was a mistake on the part of Pysche Deli.

[maca]

This is sickening, Smoke will be next i imagine. which makes me slightly depressed.

[akack2]

i am already finding it hard to find supplies of spice,both diamond and gold.

[Alfa]

Does anyone have access to this article: http://www.hotpress.com/politics/fro...s/5030974.html ?

[Mr. Giraffe]

That's the text of the article in the first post. Unfortunately, the Hotpress site is only open to subscribers.

[xekko]

Is this only taking effect in Ireland? or will it affect the whole of the UK?

[akack2]

Originally Posted by xekko

Is this only taking effect in Ireland? or will it affect the whole of the UK?

Irelands not in the uk mate lol

It will affect everywhere I would say

[bravedog]

and this - note that Ice Bud is supposedly diluted Spice, and even if not, all the arguments below would apply to almost all blends: a UK ruling [and Spice is made in UK]:

"URGENT NOTICE

Dear

The MHRA, acting on behalf of the Licensing Authority has considered all information available to it and gives notice that it has determined that Ice Bud is a relevant medicinal product and subject to the provisions of The Medicines For Human Use (Marketing Authorisations) Regulations 1994 (S.I.1994/3144).

A relevant “medicinal product” is defined in Article 1 of Council Directive 2001/83/EEC as:

“Any substance or combination of substances presented as having properties for treating or preventing disease in human beings

Any substance or combination of substances which may be used in or administered to human beings either with a view to restoring, correcting or modifying physiological functions by exerting a pharmacological, immunological or metabolic action, or to making a medical diagnosis”


The MHRA takes the view that Ice Bud has the capacity to significantly affect human physiology thus satisfying the second limb of the definition, for the following reasons:


It contains Blue Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera also Pink Lotus) which has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. All parts of the plant are pharmacologically active and it is used to treat a wide variety of ailments but is best known as a vasodilator and in the treatment of sexual dysfunction.

It contains Lions Tail (Leonotis leonurus also Motherwort, Dagga) which is a well known and documented medicinal plant. It has numerous traditional uses in African medicine and is used as a substitute for cannabis being mildly narcotic.

It contains Lousewort (Pedicularis canadensis also Wood Bettony) which has documented medicinal use in the treatment of a wide variety of ailments. The roots are tonic, cardiac and stomachic. A tea is used in the treatment of stomach aches, ulcers, diarrhoea, anaemia and heart. The roots are also, allegedly, aphrodisiac.
It contains Indian warrior (Pedicularis densiflora) which is native to North America where the buds are sold for smoking which produces a tranquillising, sedative and aphrodisiac effect.
It contains Dwarf skullcap (Scutellaria nana) which is native to western America. Its pharmacological properties are that it is strongly sedative and mildly euphoric but it is not used medicinally now.
It contains Maconha brava (False marijuana) which is a well known and documented hallucinogen

It contains Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) which is a well known and documented medicinal herb in many native traditions. It is a mucilaginous herb used to sooth and soften and promote healing. It has established and well documented use in reducing inflammation of the digestive and urinary tracts.

It contains Siberian motherwort (Leonurus sibericus, Marihuanilla, Little marijuana, Siberian mugwort, Chinese motherwort) This plant has several known and documented pharmacological actions and is widely used medicinally; it is antispasmodic, cardiac, depurative, diuretic, emmenagogue, hypnotic, nervine, stimulant and tonic, amongst other things.


Clarification, help and advice

Please do not hesitate to contact me on the above telephone number if you wish to clarify the reason for this determination.

Required action

In accordance with section 3 (1) of The Medicines For Human Use (Marketing Authorisations) Regulations 1994 (S.I.1994/3144), no relevant medicinal product shall be placed on the market unless a marketing authorisation (formerly Product Licence) has been granted for it. To do so is a criminal offence.

You must now stop marketing Ice Bud in the UK with immediate effect and must cancel all advertising and promotion including internet promotion and sales. You should confirm in writing, within fourteen days of the date of this letter, that you have made the necessary arrangements. Please provide copies of your company's notices or letters setting this in motion.

Unless your company expressly undertakes, in writing, to act in accordance with the Licensing Authority’s Determination, the matter will be referred for consideration of proceedings in the criminal courts"

Reputation Comments on this post:

Thanks for sharing

[Alfa]

These letters seem to be pouring in all over the UK, relating to hundreds of herbal highs. Especially wholesalers and large stores are getting them. See this thread: Medicine Agency: all "Legal highs" are illegal medicines by definition.

Better stock up, cause it seems that all herbal highs are going down in the UK.

[Lunar Loops]

Originally Posted by Alfa

These letters seem to be pouring in all over the UK, relating to hundreds of herbal highs. Especially wholesalers and large stores are getting them. See this thread: Medicine Agency: all "Legal highs" are illegal medicines by definition.

Better stock up, cause it seems that all herbal highs are going down in the UK.

Unfortunately, where the UK goes Ireland usually follows in this respect. That and the fact that headshops were raided across the country here less than two weeks ago. Dark days indeed.

[Alfa]

Yes, that was on the same day, that these MHRA letters started to arrive.

[vordhosbn]

Any news for the future of Spice in the US? I've talked to a distributor and he feels that he'll continue to sell successfully for quite some time. According to him, business keeps picking up.

[bravedog]

Originally Posted by vordhosbn

Any news for the future of Spice in the US? I've talked to a distributor and he feels that he'll continue to sell successfully for quite some time. According to him, business keeps picking up.

PsycheDeli doesn't even officially allow sales to the US; anyway as a UK company if they are successfully forced to stop vending this should stop their sales everywhere.

As far as Spicealikes produced in the US, there is controversy on whether they are dependent on Spice and its extracts as their core ingredients. They claim not, and if this is true should be able to continue producing and vending barring new Federal and state laws or discovery of specific ingredients the government attempts to prosecute as analogs [difficult in my opinion though others see that differently].

However, during a Spice shortage last year, a number of Galaxy and herbhut [American] blends also suddenly were in short supply. I consider all their provenances likely related somehow.

[Mona Lisa]

A certain online headshop have suddenly withdrawn all their Spice products from sale. It looks ominious.

[Alfa]

Here is the reason: Medicine Agency: all "Legal highs" are illegal medicines by definition.

[vinylmesh]

Originally Posted by Alfa

Here is the reason: Medicine Agency: all "Legal highs" are illegal medicines by definition.

I don't understand. so why are health shops not all closed down for the dodgy, fake, and downright unhealthy "medicines" they sell?

also, other smoking mixes are still on sale.

[Mr. Giraffe]

Originally Posted by vinylmesh

I don't understand. so why are health shops not all closed down for the dodgy, fake, and downright unhealthy "medicines" they sell?

also, other smoking mixes are still on sale.

The smokeables which are still on sale are using the incense defence. At least one major distributor has sent out reminders that the products are strictly to be described as incense. They will attempt to argue that since the substances in themselves aren't illegal, and since they are explicitly stating that they should not be consumed, that the incense is therefore legal. This is a pretty good defence, though Psyche Deli have trademarked spice as a herbal smoking blend, which rather blows the defence out of the water, for them at least.

[Alfa]

Just wait and see. I think it wont be long, before they are all gone.

[Mona Lisa]

Do you think that even things like Ayurvedic supplements or even vitamins will also be banned without a prescription?

I feel the MHRA are killjoys.

[discodave]

doesn't water fall foul of that definition by it's metabolic action of altering physiology by causing hydration?

mind you it's also a substance useful to terrorists so it's illegal through that too.

caffeine is very definately a "legal high".

swim just finished their kratom and now can't import anymore. i hate these fucking idiots, that really is it - i am leaving the uk now. just because of their retard drug policy. i would like to murder them but it's just not worth throwing my life away over.

and can we call that pratt Grainne Kenny Granny from now on?

any suggestions on any european countries which have less retarded policies? (i.e. VERY liberal)

[Way-2-Stoned]

There are allot of things being said about this, From what i have found out is that the psyche deli have sold there spice brand to a Dutch company. They will be taking over production of the Spice blend and have already been producing spice arctic and tropical.(they did not produce enough of this product) Demand for these products have been very high, yet they have been concerntrating on producing "Genie" (New blend) and Yucatan ( formally known as yucatan fire).

[bravedog]

Though some experience reports suggest not, the name "Spice Synergy" suggests a reformulation of Spice actives onto 2 new herbal bases as a response to these legal pressures; have you heard if this is what Synergy is? thanks