Pubdate: Thu, 01 Feb 2001 Source: Advertiser, The (Australia) Copyright: 2001 News Limited Contact: 121 King William Street, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia 5000 Fax: (08) 8206-3669 Website: http://www.advertiser.com.au/ WARNING NOT TO BAN 'PARTY' DRUG A NEW recreational drug blamed for several people collapsing in New Zealand is available in Australia, but researchers warned yesterday that to ban the drug would only enhance its popularity. Paul Dillon, of the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, cautioned authorities against banning One4b, saying it would merely heighten its popularity. Mr Dillon said the drug, which could be lethal if mixed with other substances, had been available to Australians through the Internet for a short time. He said the drug was being marketed on the Internet as a dietary supplement and natural alternative to the banned drug GHB, or Fantasy. ``Basically it has a similar sort of effect and definitely if you talk to users, it's a similar sort of drug with similar sorts of problems,'' he said. New Zealand's health authorities stopped the distribution of One4b after four young people took the drug and became unconscious. - --- MAP posted-by: Josh Sutcliffe