健康英语新闻:Western Australia bans new synthetic cannabis

SYDNEY, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Western Australian Government announced on Friday that 14 new substances linked to the manufacture of the synthetic drug Kronic would be banned from Friday midnight.

The State Mental Health Minister Helen Morton told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) Radio on Friday morning that two substances found in Kronic Black would be banned from midnight tonight (Friday night), as well as another 12 others found in synthetic cannabis products.

People caught in possession of banned synthetic cannabis face hefty fines or possible jail sentences.

The government of Western Australia (WA) in June listed a number of synthetic cannabis products, including Kronic, Voodoo and Mango Kush, as illegal substances.

But synthetic drug makers have since released a new product, Kronic Black Label, using a different blend of chemicals they say make it still legal to sell.

Police suspect the death of a 38-year-old Perth man is linked to his smoking of the synthetic cannabis product Kronic Black Label, which contains two of the 14 substances to be banned.

The man, from Hillman in Perth's south, was rushed to Rockingham Hospital on Thursday night after suffering a suspected cardiac arrest, but he later died.

Police now are conducting an investigation to identify the cause of the man's death.

The Australian Medical Association has warned that synthetic drugs could cause severe paranoia, anxiety and panic attacks.