"Legal Highs" law "useless

A toxicology professor says banning animal testing will render the so-called “legal highs” law useless.

The government is passing legislation today under urgency to ban all synthetic drugs unless they can be proven low risk without testing on animals. The Wireless explained the events in Longwave. 

Ian Shaw is a Professor of Toxicology at the University of Canterbury with 30 years experience in the field.

He told Nine to Noon he believes it is impossible to make certain the chemicals are safe without using animals.

“Great idea, let’s legalise the things, let’s make certain they are safe, so the kids taking them won’t get any adverse effects. That’s actually failed because we can’t be certain that they are safe.”

Professor Shaw says the synthetic compounds are designed specifically to work with receptors in the brain. “And they give you one hell of a zap. And this is probably why we’re seeing more side effects with them."