THE Isle of Man remains the only place in the British Isles to have banned the legal high MDAI.
Health Minister David Anderson MHK told Tynwald he was going against the advice of the experts and wanted to renew a temporary ban of 5,6-Methylenedioxy-2-aminoindan for a further 12 months.
He told the court: ‘I have taken the view that reversing the ban now will send a confusing and potentially risky message to the public.’
Tynwald first outlawed the drug in December last year in response to the death of Ramsey teenager Tanya Hughes.
At the inquest into the death of the 17-year-old, Tanya’s father John urged the authorities to come together to stop the availability of legal highs and their exposure to youngsters.
Recording a verdict of misadventure, Coroner John Needham described the former Ramsey Grammar School pupil’s death as a ‘great tragedy’ and he recommended that MDAI was added to the list of controlled substances.
But while the Isle of Man temporarily banned the substance, it has not been banned in the UK.
Mr Anderson told Tynwald last week that the temporary ban was due to end with effect from December 31 and so long as the UK continues not to ban it, the island will have to keep introducing a new order every 12 months to maintain a ban here.
He said: ‘Members may recall that in 2010, toxicity of MDAI was given as a cause of death in a local case brought before the Coroner of Inquests.
‘The Isle of Man Advisory Council for the Misuse of Drugs [ACMD] recommended it should be specified as a controlled drug subject to the same restrictions as other potentially dangerous drugs in respect of importation, exportation, production, supply and possession.’
Powers to temporarily specify a substance as a controlled drug were introduced in 2010 as a result of the need to urgently ban the drug mephedrone, also known as ‘plant food’.
But unlike plant food, the UK has not banned MDAI and the recent advice of the UK ACMD has again included no recommendation to ban the substance.
And taking into account the advice of local health professionals, the Isle of Man ACMD has now also recommended Mr Anderson’s department lift the ban.
But the minister told Tynwald last week: ‘Given that MDAI was considered to be a cause of death, I feel that it would be prudent to continue the ban of MDAI, if only to try and prevent a future tragedy.
‘Although it might be argued that the original ban could be considered a borderline decision, I consider that removing the ban now would be an even greater mistake, and confusing to the public.’
Tynwald voted unanimously to approve the order continuing the temporary ban.