Gold Coast underworld rife with rumours cannabis is being laced with the drug ice

A Gold Coast magistrate has said she has noticed unscrupulous drug dealers are lacing cannabis they supply with the more potent and highly addictive drug methamphetamine, or ice.

The Gold Coast underworld is rife with rumours that unscrupulous drug dealers are lacing cannabis they supply with the more potent and highly addictive drug methamphetamine, or ice.

Police officials say there is little evidence to support the claims.

But Magistrate Deborah Vasta said in Southport Magistrates Court on Tuesday it was a trend she had noticed.

A woman accused of driving with cannabis and meth in her saliva protested she had not smoked meth, but admitted to cannabis use.

“Before me I have about 20 per cent of people who are driving with meth in their saliva and they go, ‘I don’t smoke meth’,” she said.

“I say, ‘do you smoke cannabis’?

“There is a lot of people selling cannabis that is cannabis laced with meth.

“Drug dealers are lacing cannabis with meth.

“People are lacing their own cannabis with meth.

“And sometimes people are at a party and think they are smoking cannabis only.”

A police source told the Bulletin concern first began being noted the potential phenomenon after numerous drivers who had tested positive for cannabis and methamphetamines were adamant they had never taken anything illegal except for cannabis.

This led to the theory dealers were lacing the cannabis with the addictive methamphetamine in order to increase the user base for the more addictive and more expensive drug.

Rumours are rife in the Gold Coast underworld that cannabis is being laced with the drug ice. Picture: iStock

Defence lawyer Michael Gatenby, of Gatenby Criminal Lawyers, said he had “quite a few” clients claiming their cannabis had been spiked.

“The first couple you go, ‘this is a bit strange’ but it’s been so prevalent that it must be true,” he said.

Mr Gatenby said any dealers willing to lace cannabis with another drug must be “pretty low”.

“It’s very alarming,” he said.

“A lot of people would not realise what they are getting themselves into.”

He said it was in the past there or four months that people had been insistent about only using cannabis when they had a positive roadside test for cannabis and methamphetamine.

Mr Gatenby said none of his clients challenged the charges as they admitted to smoking the cannabis.

Gold Coast Police District Acting Superintendent Scott Knowles said they had received isolated anecdotal reports over the years about drugs being mixed.

“However little evidence has been identified to support this,” he said.

Supt Knowles said Gold Coast police had not received any reports of cannabis being laced with amphetamines or other drugs and scientific examinations of seizure of drugs had not identified it had been mixed with other illicit substances.

“The use and supply of illegal drugs in our community is always a concern for police and we are always working to detect, disrupt and detain those people involved in these dangerous and

illegal activities,” he said.

“The sale and possession of any illicit substance is a criminal offence and often those people

purchasing these products are not fully aware of the dangers and the serious adverse effects to

their health.

“The Queensland Police Service warns users of these substances of the dangers they may be

exposing themselves to with illegal drugs generally manufactured in unhygienic environments.”

Supt Knowles said contaminants found in illicit substances included acids, industrial cleaners and other chemicals.

Illicit substances are often mixed with other products – sometimes dangerous chemicals – to increase the amount to sell.

“Those people manufacturing and selling these products are not concerned with the health and

wellbeing of those purchasing these illegal substances and are driven only by the money made

through the sale of the products,” Supt Knowles said.

Follow @leae