Pubdate: Thu, 23 Dec 2004
Source: Press, The (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2004 The Christchurch Press Company Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.press.co.nz/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/349
Author: Danya Levy
Cited: Social Tonics Association of NZ (STANZ) http://www.stanz.org.nz

PARTY PILL USERS HOSPITALISED IN LEGAL DRUG TURF WAR

A turf war in the world of legal drugs has erupted and health and
industry experts warn young party-goers are getting caught in the
crossfire - and ending up in hospital.

The Drug Foundation said today competition between Christchurch
manufacturers had resulted in party pills or herbal highs being sold
by shops in unmarked clear plastic bags.

It was a dangerous practice, foundation executive director Ross Bell
said.

"People might not know what they are taking and might not know the
recommended dose," he told NZPA.

Mr Bell said there was "hysteria" from some Christchurch doctors who
said young people were ending up in hospital emergency departments
after becoming ill on the pills.

The predominant ingredient in party pills is benzylpiperazine (BZP)
which is derived from the pepper plant and legal in New Zealand.

It is estimated that 5 million party pills have been sold in New
Zealand since 2000.

The Expert Advisory Committee on Drugs has recommended BZP remain
legal but a new category, or Class D, be added to the Misuse of Drugs
Act to control marketing and restrict sale to people over 18 years -
something supported by the Drug Foundation and industry group Social
Tonic Association of New Zealand (Stanz).

BZP was also an ingredient used in farm animal worming tablets, Mr
Bell said.

People could take BZP safety by ensuring they took the recommended
dose, did not drink alcohol with them and drank plenty of water, he
said.

The pills were regulated under the dietary supplements regulations
which required them to be labelled with ingredients and doses.

"We think the Christchurch City Council who are responsible for those
regulations and the Medical Officer of Health need to do something
about some of these dodgy practices," Mr Bell said.

Stanz spokesman Matt Bowden said Auckland Hospital saw about one
BZP-user a month who was usually sent home without requiring treatment
but there had been a recent cluster of hospital admissions in
Christchurch.

"All of a sudden we see Christchurch Hospital saying they are seeing
six people a week," he said.

"It would appear that a lot more active material is being put in each
capsule there, so people who are expecting to take normal dose pills
are taking something which is a much higher dose."

The majority of manufacturers took a responsible approach to the
marketing of the products, he said.

"People should pay attention to the labelling and see how much BZP is
in the product. If there's no labelling, they should avoid it."

Stanz would like to see public health officials do something to
enforce the labelling of party pills, Mr Bowden said.

However, Canterbury Medical Officer of Health Alistair Humphrey said
today it was not up to the medical officer of health or the city
council to enforce the labelling of the pills.

"There is no legislation; it is not a controlled medicine," he told
NZPA.

If the pills were sold as a nutritional supplement they could be
regulated by the Food Safety Authority.

"But Food Safety have great difficulties doing anything about it
because they don't know what's in these bags."

Canterbury was working with other medical officers of health
throughout New Zealand who had experience the same problems, Dr
Humphrey said.

"But possibly not at the same level."

It took too long for drugs to be listed as controlled and "drug
designers" moved quickly onto other unlisted products, he said.

Parliament's health select committee is currently considering a call
by Associate Health Minister Jim Anderton to criminalise BZP.

Dr Humphrey said the effects of BZP were unknown as people who came to
hospital after taking party pills had often drunk a lot of alcohol and
taken illegal drugs which they did not admit to.

"We need to identify exactly the harm these things are causing because
if we're not sure, we may be barking up the wrong tree," he said.

"There may be other things on the street causing similar problems, not
least of which is alcohol which remains our number one problem."
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MAP posted-by: Derek