Vitebsk resident to pay fine for spice trading

September 8, Vitebsk / Sergey Kotovets - BELTA /. A seller of "spice" has been brought to administrative responsibility in Vitebsk, a BELTA correspondent was informed by the Ministry of Taxes and Duties Inspectorate for the Vitebsk region. An unemployed resident of the regional center, born in 1987, came to the attention of the tax authorities during a thematic inspection conducted based on materials from law enforcement agencies. As it turned out, the Vitebsk resident sold the "spice" smoking mixture, which he purchased outside of Belarus. An administrative report has been drawn up against the illegal seller under Article 12.7 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of Belarus "Illegal entrepreneurial activity". By the decision of the Economic Court of the Vitebsk region, the "spice" seller was brought to administrative responsibility in the form of a fine in the amount of 10 base units (1 base unit is Br35 thousand) with the confiscation of illegally obtained income. As previously reported, at the end of 2008, a herbal smoking mixture (mixes) with various logos (smok, chillin, spice, pulse, jura rash, djinn, etc.), collectively referred to as "spice", entered the Belarusian market. The mixtures contain synthetic cannabinoids, the effects of which are many times greater than the effect of natural hemp (marijuana) and have psychotropic properties. A case of withdrawal syndrome (breakdown) associated with prolonged use of mixes has already been registered in Germany. According to the conclusion of Russian specialists, poisonous substances, as well as substances with psychotropic and narcotic effects, have been detected in "spice". The sale of "spice" is prohibited in France, Austria and Switzerland. These mixtures are also being actively studied in Belarus: their composition and effects on humans. In addition, the issue of including them in the Republican List of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances Subject to State Control is being considered. -0-