Pubdate: Wed, 20 Dec 2006
Source: Marlborough Express (New Zealand)
Copyright: Independent Newspapers Limited 2006
Contact:  http://www.marlboroughexpress.co.nz/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1139

PARTY PILLS BAN WELCOMED

Today's recommendation to outlaw party pills has been  welcomed by a 
Marlborough man fighting against the  availability of drugs, but a 
local retailer says  tighter regulations are needed more.

The Government has been advised to ban the pills by an  expert 
committee which has been studying their dangers.

Associate Health Minister Jim Anderton said he was  still considering 
the official advice from the Expert  Advisory Committee on Drugs 
(EACD), but had taken the  step of releasing it today so people were 
aware of the  pills' dangers.

The EACD has recommended the Government make  benzylpiperazine (BZP), 
phenylpiperazines and related  piperazines, common ingredients in 
"party pills",  illegal because of the risk of harm.

The pills can be legally purchased by those over 18.

Roy Ramsey of Drug Arm in Marlborough was pleased with  the message 
that was being sent out by the recommended  ban, which was that 
taking mind-altering substances was  unacceptable.

However, he knew of people who had become addicted to  party pills 
and he was angry that the Government had  taken so long to respond to 
the problem. "I'd imagine  that people have been stocking up on them.

"The argument was that (the pills) will go underground  and then we 
lose control, but the reality is that the  gangs are selling them, 
it's underground now."

Mr Ramsey also wanted the Government to get to the root  of the 
problem, which was why people were needing to  take mind-altering 
substances in the first place.

Marlborough mayor Alistair Sowman supported the  "sensible" recommendation.

"I think we are walking in the right direction. There's  enough 
evidence now to suggest that they pose a danger  to our youth."

He said users of party pills were also inclined to move  on to more 
dangerous harder drugs, which was  concerning.

It was also positive that more information was becoming  available 
about the use of party pills, which Mr Sowman  hoped youth would take 
notice of.

Boots 'n' All store manager Jaysen Baxter said any ban  would not 
have a huge effect on their Blenheim  business, but tighter 
regulations were needed more than  a total ban. "They need to have 
some sort of licensing  system brought in on who can import the 
ingredients and who can manufacture and sell them, because there 
isn't  much about like that at the moment. That's a more  important 
first step."

He said that if the Government were so worried about  the health 
effects of party pills that it needed to  outlaw them, then it would 
also need to ban alcohol.

"It seems silly to ban these pills when you can still  legally buy 
alcohol and cigarettes which are far more  hazardous to your health."

Mr Anderton, the minister in charge of drug policy,  said considering 
the advice was the first step he was  required to make in taking any 
statutory decision.

He said one trial had shown frequent and severe side  effects - 
including seizures - from the drug's use,  suggesting the potential 
for serious harm for some  users, even at relatively low doses.

"While there have been on recorded deaths attributed  solely to the 
use of BZP, we know that severe adverse  effects from the use of 
party pills occur  unpredictably.

"The expert committee was concerned that the seizures  which have 
been recorded have the potential to kill."
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MAP posted-by: Elaine