All Kronic products are proudly manufactured in New Zealand to the highest quality standards and meet or exceed all legal requirements.
We want you to be safe at all times when using our product, so please read the below rules and information on Kronic.
As an FYI: The chemical half life of Kronic is 72 hours, so it’s 50% out of the body in 3 days. Every ones body is different and will process at different rates.
- Made from a mix of natural and synthetic ingredients. Strictly R18.
- Do not drive or operate heavy machinery within 6 hours of using product.
- Have one toke and wait 10 minutes to feel the effects, gauge the strength before consuming more.
- Do not use to excess, may cause anxiety in sensitive persons.
- Must not be used by pregnant or breastfeeding women. Should not be mixed with drugs or medicines, especially blood pressure lowering medicines. Should not be used by anyone with any heart condition, compromised lung or liver function, or history of mental illness, especially depression, anxiety, panic attacks or schizophrenia, or by anyone who has previously experienced adverse or unusual responses to cannabis.
- Discontinue use immediately in the event of panic attack, persisting paranoia or psychotic symptoms. Frequent or daily use is not recommended, users should be aware that development of dependence on this type of product has rarely been reported, and appropriate limitations on use may be required in some individuals.
- Enjoy Kronic responsibly and in moderation.
Kronic: Everything you need to know
Hi Kronic fans/media/lawyers/policy experts/concerned parents/government officals/members of the public and others.
If you’ve arrived at this page, you are more than likely seeking more information on Kronic. As you can imagine, we receive a huge number of enquiries from around the world ever day. To make our position and opinions clear, we’ve complied a great resource of information for you below.
We take your concerns immensely seriously, and encourage you to read the below information in its entirety. It covers; the motivation behind Kronic, our position on the industry, legislation, harm minimisation, media coverage, age limits, safe use, the safety of our products and more.
Harm minimisation (read more on what it is, and our our work around it, here) is a simple concept really, but is defined by New Zealand’s National Drug Policy as “an approach that aims to minimise the adverse health, social and economic consequences of drug use, without necessarily ending such use for people who cannot be expected to stop their drug use immediately.
The primary goal of this approach is a net reduction in drug-related harm rather than becoming drug-free overnight, although harm minimisation strategies often lead to a reduced number of people who use drugs over time.”
It’s a highly unknown fact that the legal highs industry (Kronic included) was created for the purpose of harm minimisation. The War on Drugs has failed – pushing drug users underground has only cause harm, crime, gangs, violence, black market trading, illegal activity, overdoses, drug adulteration and a raft of other issues to explode internationally.
Don’t believe us?
Have a read over our summary here from the Global Commission on Drug Policy Report. To keep it brief, the Commission is made up of a range of public policy experts, including the former Presidents of Colombia, Brazil and Switzerland, former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and entrepeneur Richard Branson. The Report concludes that the global war on drugs has failed. Drug use continues to increase each year, as do the resulting harms. The policies of the drug war fail to minimise drug use and drug-related harm, and create their own harms because such policies:
* Are extremely expensive and time-consuming;
* Criminalise people who do no harm to others;
* Impair public health policies aimed at reducing HIV/AIDS infection, overdoes fatalities and other harms associated with drug use.
Their main recommendations?
Rather than continue with the failed drug war, the Global Commission recommends:
* Admitting that the drug war has failed, and considering what alternative policies can effectively reduce and control drug-related harm;
* Replacing the criminalisation of drug use with health and treatment services for those dependent on drugs;
* Experimenting with legal regulation of drugs, to reduce the power of organised crime and safeguard the health and security of citizens;
You can download the full report right here.
While it’s unfortunate for the millions adversely impacted by the War on Drugs, the war (as we’ve mentioned) has failed. The use of any form of substance, from alcohol to caffeine to nicotine to legal highs to illicit drugs has always, and will always take place within human society. To ignore that, or exacerbate the problem through heavy handed prison sentences, punishing the end user and utilising more aggressive tactics to combat their production and use only serves to make the problem worse – as we have seen in recent years.
Not so long ago, the Government introduced a Class D category in the Misuse of Drugs Act – a move Kronic and industry partners was in huge support of. The Government has also moved to ban the sale of Kronic to those under the age of 18 – and we for one are very glad. Kronic and other industry leaders have always been 100% committed to a total ban on the sale of our products to those under the age of 18.
Our products have always been promoted as strictly R18, and we regularly remind stores and stockists they risk losing the ability to stock them should they violate this. While it was not previously defined as illegal to sell to those under the age of 18, we think it is just common sense not to – our submissions to the Government reflect this as we have long called for a ruling to impose an R18 limit.
In a recent announcement, Associate Minister of Health Peter Dunne said (on an Expert Advisory Committee on Drugs statement regarding legal smoking products), “the committee said it is unacceptable for products containing the substances to be widely available without controls on packaging, marketing and sale.” We 100% agree and support this – Kronic and other industry partners have been lobbying the Government for years to introduce safety restrictions, as the safety of our consumers and the public is our main priority.
As a strong supporter of the introduction of the Class D category in the Misuse of Drugs Act, Kronic would welcome its inclusion in this category for a number of reasons:
1) Age limits – Kronic strictly specifies an R18 policy for its products, both online and in-store, and welcomes any legislation that further ensures these products are 100% unavailable to those under the age of 18 (including harsh sentences for those that sell to minors).
2) Mandatory health warnings – Kronic would welcome the introduction of mandatory health labelling on products in the industry – our updated packaging contains full warnings in line with tobacco smoking advisories.
3) Advertising controls – We would like to see free sampling banned and advertising restricted to in store only.
4) Harm minimisation – Kronic is committed to providing consumers with a safe, legal alternative to illicit substances.
Kronic is committed to providing responsible adults with ways to relax, kick-back and unwind in a safe and legal manner. Banning these products pushes legal highs back into the hands of gangs and organised crime – banning them simply does not work. People will continue to use them and finance other illicit activity.
It will take a massive shift in society. These issues are emotional issues, by their very nature. It is an unfortunate reality that most drug policy around the world is largely ineffective because politics gets in the way of what works best.
Unfortunately this is what works best – offering a safe, legal, taxable alternative to illicit drugs that can be controlled, monitored and regulated.
Does this not sound right? We’d encourage you to have a look at the recent report by the Expert Advisory Committee on Drugs (EACD) on the safety of legal smoking products.
Chaired by Dr Ashley Bloomfield, the Ministry of Health’s Chief Advisor on Public Health, the committee exists to advise the Minister of Health on drug classification issues. The EACD carried out a Formal Assessment of two synthetic cannabinoids, JWH-018 and JWH-073, on 11 November 2010, and concluded that:
* Synthetic cannabinoids such as JWH-018 and JWH-073 had only entered the market after another substance, CP 47,497, was banned on the basis that it was a chemical analogue to cannabis;
* There was sufficient evidence to suggest that the consumption of JWH-018 and JWH-073 do have the potential to cause harm, despite the lack of robust scientific data on the harm caused by JWH-018 and JWH-073 to date;
* Given the lack of detailed evidence of harm, it was appropriate to restrict, rather than ban, the sale and supply of JWH-018 and JWH-073; and
* JWH-018 and JWH-073 should therefore be made restricted substances, and should not be banned outright.
The Associate Health Minister, Hon Peter Dunne, accepted this recommendation on 30 March 2011, and it is expected that the required legislation will be in place by 2012. The EACD have therefore assessed synthetic cannabinoids as having a lower potential for harm than cannabis, codeine, or Ecstasy.
Nevertheless, we think that the Government has made the right decision in moving to stop under-18s from being able to purchase products like Kronic. Kronic is not for under-18s and should never be supplied to under-18s. As mentioned previously, we are also in favour of controls on the packaging of synthetic cannabinoids and limits on where they can be sold. While the risks from synthetic cannabinoids are lower than many other substances, safety should always come first.
It’s a hard path as we move towards a more responsible and aware society, but the journey is well under way. We encourage you to get involved and share your views – it’s your choice and they are your freedoms. You’ll no doubt have seen Kronic and other products in the media as well – we’ve responded to the main news pieces with key points similar to what you’ve already read. You can see our responses to 3 News and Campbell Live here.
And remember; enjoy Kronic responsibly and in moderation. And please look over our other safety tips.
Sincerely,
The Kronic Team
IS KRONIC SAFE?
The Expert Advisory Committee on Drugs (“EACD”) is established under section 5AA of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 to advise the Minister of Health on drug classification issues. The EACD:
* conducts reviews of controlled drugs and other narcotic or psychotropic substances
* recommends to the Minister of Health whether and how such substances should be classified
* increases public awareness of its work by (for instance) releasing papers, reports and recommendations.
The EACD is chaired by Dr Ashley Bloomfield, the Ministry of Health’s Chief Advisor on Public Health. Other clinical members of the EACD include:
* Dr Keith Bedford, the Institute of Environmental Science and Research’s General Manager Forensics;
* Associate Professor Tim Maling, Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Otago’s Wellington School of Medicine;
* Dr Geoffrey Robinson, Chief Medical Officer at the Capital and Coast District Health Board; and
* Professor Doug Sellman, Director of the National Addiction Centre at the University of Otago’s Christchurch School of Medicine.
The EACD carried out a Formal Assessment of two synthetic cannabinoids, JWH-018 and JWH-073, on 11 November 2010, and concluded that:
* Synthetic cannabinoids such as JWH-018 and JWH-073 had only entered the market after another substance, CP 47,497, was banned on the basis that it was a chemical analogue to cannabis;
* There was sufficient evidence to suggest that the consumption of JWH-018 and JWH-073 do have the potential to cause harm, despite the lack of robust scientific data on the harm caused by JWH-018 and JWH-073 to date;
* Given the lack of detailed evidence of harm, it was appropriate to restrict, rather than ban, the sale and supply of JWH-018 and JWH-073; and
* JWH-018 and JWH-073 should therefore be made restricted substances, and should not be banned outright.
The Associate Health Minister, Hon Peter Dunne, accepted this recommendation on 30 March 2011, and it is expected that the required legislation will be in place by 2012
The EACD have therefore assessed synthetic cannabinoids as having a lower potential for harm than cannabis, codeine, or Ecstasy. Nevertheless, we think that the Government has made the right decision in moving to stop under-18s from being able to purchase products like Kronic. Kronic is not for under-18s and should never be supplied to under-18s. We are also in favour of controls on the packaging of synthetic cannabinoids and limits on where they can be sold. While the from synthetic cannabinoids are lower than many other substances, safety should always come first.
Harm Minimisation: A safer future for responsible adults
The governments of many free countries, including the New Zealand Government, have a commitment to harm minimisation, but there are many ways to reduce the harms associated with drug use. While some measures might be the most effective, they are not always the most politically saleable or easy to swallow.
The politicisation of drug policy is, unfortunately, a global problem. While many governments around the world have stated commitments to harm minimisation, there is great confusion surrounding its implementation. The perception of some substance use as a deviant behaviour, or a moral transgression requiring punitive measures, is often an impediment to progress and to recovery.
While Kronic is based in New Zealand, we are committed to advancing progressive, evidence based harm minimisation models across the world working with our industry partners and local governments.
Drug issues are emotional issues, by their very nature. It is an unfortunate reality that most drug policy around the world is largely ineffective because politics gets in the way of what works best.
In New Zealand, Kronic and our partners are in regular contact with the Ministry of Health, the Expert Advisory Committee on Drugs and a number of related agencies both inside and outside of Government.
Working both with government and with the communities most impacted by drug policy and enforcement, Kronic is also committed to destigmatising drug use and ensuring policy makers no longer perceive drug use as the exclusive domain of the stereotypical ‘criminals’.
SUMMARY OF GLOBAL COMMISSION ON DRUG POLICY REPORT
The Global Commission on Drug Policy aims to “bring to the international level an informed, science-based discussion about humane and effective ways to reduce the harm caused by drugs to people and societies.”
The Commission is made up of a range of public policy experts, including the former Presidents of Colombia, Brazil and Switzerland, former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and entrepeneur Richard Branson. The Report concludes that the global war on drugs has failed. Drug use continues to increase each year, as do the resulting harms. The policies of the drug war fail to minimise drug use and drug-related harm, and create their own harms because such policies:
* Are extremely expensive and time-consuming;
* Criminalise people who do no harm to others;
* Impair public health policies aimed at reducing HIV/AIDS infection, overdoes fatalities and other harms associated with drug use.
Rather than continue with the failed drug war, the Global Commission recommends:
* Admitting that the drug war has failed, and considering what alternative policies can effectively reduce and control drug-related harm;
* Replacing the criminalisation of drug use with health and treatment services for those dependent on drugs;
* Experimenting with legal regulation of drugs, to reduce the power of organised crime and safeguard the health and security of citizens;
* Establishing more useful metrics to measure drug policy success – the evidence shows that the number of arrests and punishments is not a useful metric;
* Focussing the activities of law enforcement on organised crime and drug trafficking, rather than those who use and purchase drugs;
* Promoting alternative sentences for first-time and small scale drug dealers;
* Focussing on youth harm reduction policies that evidence shows actually work;
* Challenging stereotypes about drug use; and
* Offering a range of easily accessible options for treatment and care for drug dependence.
The Report also notes that decriminalisation initiatives, such as those in Portugal, Holland, Western Australia and some American states have not resulted in significant increases in drug use.
Kronic and our other products are all part of this move – offering safe, legal and monitor-able products are the way forward. Any other solution, as proven by the failed War on Drugs, is not working.
You can download the full report right here.
