THE controversial herbal substance Spice, which can be smoked as a substitute for cannabis, has been banned from sale in shops in Jersey.
Spice has been reclassified as a medicinal product, making it a criminal offence to import, market or sell it. The Island’s health officials are pushing for further changes to make it illegal to possess and use the substance.
The maximum penalty for breaching the law is two years in prison. Dr Susan Turnbull, Jersey’s deputy Medical Officer of Health, said: ‘It has been fantastic work by everyone involved. Earlier this year we thought there was nothing we could do about Spice, and now, after a lot of work, it is illegal to import, market or sell it.
‘We hope that the reclassification of Spice will help to protect the people of Jersey from the effects of harmful substances. I particularly hope that it will protect young people who have been fed a marketing message that these substances are safe. The message is that they aren’t safe, and for some people they are the first step towards taking more harmful substances.’
