THE legal high MDAI has been banned in the Isle of Man following the death of a teenager in April.
Tynwald voted in favour of an order brought by the Department of Health, under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1976, on Tuesday.
It followed consultation with the Isle of Man's Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD), which was established under the 1976 Act.
The Misuse of Drugs (Controlled Drug Specification) (MDAI) Order 2011 now makes MDAI a class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1976.
The ban on MDAI stems as a result of the tragic death of a teenage girl from the Isle of Man in April this year – the first recorded death within the British Isles as a result of taking MDAI.
Health Minister David Anderson MHK said: "Whilst it has been some eight months since the tragic death of a local teenager the ACMD has had to carefully consider all of the facts in determining whether a ban should be put in place.
"The ACMD recognises that MDAI is one of many legal highs which give cause for concern and research has had to be undertaken into MDAI to enable the ACMD to make an informed recommendation.
"Clearly this is a dangerous substance which has tragically cost the life of a young girl. The priority is the safety of our people and I hope that in bringing this ban we're able to send a serious message and help prevent this substance causing any ill-effect to anyone in our community.
"That said there should not be an interpretation by anyone that other legal highs which are available to the public, but have not been banned, are in anyway safe to take."
The AMCD is a statutory body established to provide advice to government on drugs and is made up of representatives from government departments and a pharmacist.
Lesley Keenan, the deputy chief executive of the Department of Health and chair of the AMCD, said: "We have been in discussions with our counterparts in the UK where MDAI has not yet been banned.
"Although their 'New Psychoactive Substances Working Group' has been monitoring the situation with MDAI it doesn't appear that a ban is likely to happen in the UK in the immediate future.
"Any such ban in the UK would automatically come into force in the Isle of Man but as a UK ban doesn't seem likely just yet the council agreed that it was time to act locally.
"Banning a substance doesn't mean it just disappears so education and awareness raising are a must. To that end we've asked that the Department of Home Affairs and the Department of Education and Children work together via the Drug and Alcohol Steering Group on a campaign outlining the need for people to take responsibility for their own decisions in respect of drugs - regardless of whether they are legal or illegal."
The ban on MDAI will come into force on Sunday, January 1, 2012. It will be effective for 12 months after which time a further order can be made which will be subject to Tynwald approval.
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