危険ドラッグ販売３００店舗　８年前に撲滅も急増―関係機関が対策会議

　覚醒剤や大麻と似た作用を持つ危険ドラッグを販売する店舗が８月末時点で、全国に約３００店あることが厚生労働省の調査で分かった。厚労省などが８年前に全て廃業に追い込んだが再び増加し、健康被害も報告されているという。事態を重く見た厚労省は２９日、関係機関と会議を開き、対策を協議した。同省医薬局監視指導・麻薬対策課の佐藤大作課長は冒頭、「情勢は予断を許さない状況だ。関係機関と情報交換を行い、早急に対策を講じていきたい」とあいさつした。
　厚労省によると、危険ドラッグの販売店舗は、２０１４年３月時点で全国に２１５店あったが、医薬品医療機器法に基づく販売停止命令などを出した結果、１５年７月までにゼロとなった。
　しかし、今年３月以降、大麻の有害成分に似た「合成カンナビノイド」を摂取し、緊急搬送されるケースが約１０件報告されたことから、厚労省が店舗の立ち入り検査を実施。全国調査を進めたところ、実店舗やネット業者など約３００店が確認されたという。（2023/09/29-11:27）

A health ministry probe has found that there were about 300 shops around Japan selling designer drugs with effects similar to those of stimulants and cannabis as of the end of August.
   The figure, which includes both online and brick-and-mortar shops, rebounded after crackdowns by the ministry and others forced all such stores to go out of business eight years ago. Reports of health damage have also increased.
   Taking the situation seriously, the ministry held a meeting with relevant institutions Friday to discuss how to respond.
   "The situation requires caution. We want to exchange information with relevant organizations to take steps speedily," said Daisaku Sato, head of the Compliance and Narcotics Division of the ministry's Pharmaceutical Safety Bureau.
   According to the ministry, there were 215 shops that were selling such drugs, labeled as "dangerous" drugs in the country, as of March 2014. The figure fell to zero by July 2015 following sales suspension orders issued under the pharmaceuticals and medical devices law.