The government was at loggerheads with its own advisers last night over its new drugs policy.
An influential Home Office-backed committee raised serious doubts about the consultation process behind the 10-year strategy which will be unveiled in April. The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) described the process as 'self-congratulatory and generally disappointing' and questioned the credibility of much of the evidence presented to government.
A spokesman for the Home Office said last month that the consultation process, which is being conducted by the polling agency Mori, had been 'open' and had included a wide range of views.
But the council said: 'We consider that an opportunity has been missed to address the public health problem relating to drug misuse and the balance with law enforcement and the Criminal Justice System...The consultation would benefit from extending further to the wider social harm of drug misuse.'
It also said: 'It is of concern that the evidence presented, and the interpretation given, are not based on rigorous scrutiny. It is not acknowledged that in many cases the information is uncertain and sometimes of poor quality.'
Last night politicians said the council's response raised questions about whether the government was more interested in spinning its record than tackling the war on drugs.
'The failures of the government's drugs policy are laid bare for all to see when their own advisory committee condemns the Home Office as being misleading and self-congratulatory,' said Liberal Democrat leadership contender Nick Clegg. 'When will the government wake up and acknowledge something many members of the public know: we are losing the war on drugs?' Clegg said
Steve Rolles of think tank Transform, which advises the UN on drugs policy, said: 'The consultation process behind the new strategy has been woeful.' Last month Transform branded the consultation process a 'sham', saying the government had already made up its mind to continue with its current strategy.
Concerns about the direction of the government's next drugs strategy come as senior police officers warn that cannabis now presents a greater 'long-term' threat to Britain than cocaine. The increasing strength of high-grade 'skunk' combined with growing evidence of major criminal involvement in its production was fast becoming an issue of mounting concern. Hospitals recently revealed that the number of mental health admissions as a result of cannabis use had risen by 73 per cent.
Source: http://politics.guardian.co.uk/homeaffairs/story/0,,2220563,00.html
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Monday, November 26, 2007
Canadian Teens Using Prescription Painkillers More
21% of Canadian teenagers in grades 7 to 12 said in a survey that they had used prescription painkillers (opioid drugs), such as Tylenol No. 3 and Percocet at least once during the previous twelve months for recreational purposes - the survey, carried out by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto interviewed teenagers in Ontario. Approximately three-quarter of these teenagers said they obtained the painkillers from their homes. OxyContin was the only drug to show a significant, albeit small, increase in non-medical use since the previous survey - in 2005 18,100 (1%) students reported using it, compared to 2% (about 18,100 teenagers) in 2007.
The surveyors were encouraged to find that there was no increase in the uptake of other drugs, saying that this may be because of effective health promotion initiatives that have been in place over a number of years. Louis Gliksman, Acting Chief of Research, CAMH, study spokesperson, said "The reasons for the increase in OxyContin® use are currently unknown, and we need to monitor this finding to determine whether it is a real trend or a one-time finding. However, the finding that 72% of the student users report obtaining the drugs from home suggests that some intervention with families might be appropriate." Students still opt for alcohol as their drug of choice, the report explains. Approximately 61% of all the students surveyed consume alcohol. About 26% of students binge drink.
In this report binge drinking means consuming five or more alcoholic drinks in one session. 19% of students may be drinking hazardously, the same proportion as in 2005. Drinking hazardously means doing so in a way that significantly raises your chances of having social, psychological and physical problems. 26% of the students said they had consumed cannabis at least once during the previous twelve months - a slight drop on previous years. 14% of all students said they had consumed cannabis at least six times during the previous twelve months.
A higher number of students said they drove a car after using cannabis (16%) than those who had consumed alcohol (12%).Just 5% of all the students said they smoked cigarettes regularly, while 72% had never tried a cigarette ever. In fact, the prevalence of daily smoking is at its lowest since 1977, when records began - today 12% of students smoke cigarettes regularly. Gail Czukar, CAMH's VP of Policy, Education and Health Promotion, said "Survey indicates that it is the legal drugs - alcohol and prescription opioids - that are being used by Ontario's youth today, and our governments' efforts to address substance use among youth need to be in synch with that reality if we want to improve the health of our young people."
The survey also revealed:-- 4% of students use OTC (over-the-counter) sleeping medication-- 3% of students use Jimson Weed-- 1% of students use ADHD (attention deficient/hyperactivity disorder) medicines for non-medical use-- Speed (methamphetamine) and crystal meth (crystal methamphetamine) does not seem to have made any inroads into the student population. In fact 'speed' consumption dropped, from 2% of all students in 2005, to 1% in 2007-- 3% of students consumed cannabis every day during the 4 weeks prior to the survey (about 27,300 students in grades 7-12) -- Approximately 28,700 students in Ontario (3%) may have a cannabis dependence problem-- 15% of all students said they got drunk at least once during the previous twelve months-- 21% were either sold, offered or given drugs at schoolThe survey, called the Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS). It is Canada's longest running school survey of teenagers, describing drug use and changes since 1977.
Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/89535.php
The surveyors were encouraged to find that there was no increase in the uptake of other drugs, saying that this may be because of effective health promotion initiatives that have been in place over a number of years. Louis Gliksman, Acting Chief of Research, CAMH, study spokesperson, said "The reasons for the increase in OxyContin® use are currently unknown, and we need to monitor this finding to determine whether it is a real trend or a one-time finding. However, the finding that 72% of the student users report obtaining the drugs from home suggests that some intervention with families might be appropriate." Students still opt for alcohol as their drug of choice, the report explains. Approximately 61% of all the students surveyed consume alcohol. About 26% of students binge drink.
In this report binge drinking means consuming five or more alcoholic drinks in one session. 19% of students may be drinking hazardously, the same proportion as in 2005. Drinking hazardously means doing so in a way that significantly raises your chances of having social, psychological and physical problems. 26% of the students said they had consumed cannabis at least once during the previous twelve months - a slight drop on previous years. 14% of all students said they had consumed cannabis at least six times during the previous twelve months.
A higher number of students said they drove a car after using cannabis (16%) than those who had consumed alcohol (12%).Just 5% of all the students said they smoked cigarettes regularly, while 72% had never tried a cigarette ever. In fact, the prevalence of daily smoking is at its lowest since 1977, when records began - today 12% of students smoke cigarettes regularly. Gail Czukar, CAMH's VP of Policy, Education and Health Promotion, said "Survey indicates that it is the legal drugs - alcohol and prescription opioids - that are being used by Ontario's youth today, and our governments' efforts to address substance use among youth need to be in synch with that reality if we want to improve the health of our young people."
The survey also revealed:-- 4% of students use OTC (over-the-counter) sleeping medication-- 3% of students use Jimson Weed-- 1% of students use ADHD (attention deficient/hyperactivity disorder) medicines for non-medical use-- Speed (methamphetamine) and crystal meth (crystal methamphetamine) does not seem to have made any inroads into the student population. In fact 'speed' consumption dropped, from 2% of all students in 2005, to 1% in 2007-- 3% of students consumed cannabis every day during the 4 weeks prior to the survey (about 27,300 students in grades 7-12) -- Approximately 28,700 students in Ontario (3%) may have a cannabis dependence problem-- 15% of all students said they got drunk at least once during the previous twelve months-- 21% were either sold, offered or given drugs at schoolThe survey, called the Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS). It is Canada's longest running school survey of teenagers, describing drug use and changes since 1977.
Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/89535.php
Herald investigation: Party pill pushers beat the ban
Experimental "next-generation" party pills designed to side-step next month's Government ban have hit the streets.
One test batch put a man who took them in hospital.
A Weekend Herald investigation has found at least one of the new pills contains a substance police believe is illegal.
A legal loophole means party pill makers can put products on the market without having to prove they are safe.
Doctors say the new pills being created in the rush to meet demand may be as dangerous as those being banned.
The Government aims to have its ban on core party pill ingredient BZP in effect by Christmas.
The law change will classify BZP as a class C drug.
A range of pills being marketed as "non-BZP" is now on shop shelves. The pills, with names such as "Neuro Blast", cost $40 for a pack of three.
A man who took part in a trial of non-BZP pills for Auckland company London Underground was hospitalised when he found himself almost unable to breath, went numb and had his blood pressure almost double after taking two pills in August.
He said he felt he was going to die when he was hit by a "a surge of adrenalin into my heart".
The Ministry of Health says other users of next-generation pills have had heart palpitations and their fingers or toes have turned blue.
The Neuro Blast pills are being investigated by the police national drug intelligence bureau after scientific testing found they contained a stimulating substance called diphenyl prolinol.
Bureau head Mick Alexander said police believed they could prove this was a close version or "analogue" of pipradrol, a stimulant with side effects ranging from insomnia to psychosis and convulsions.
He would not comment further, saying legal action was possible.
London Underground refused to discuss the pills with the Weekend Herald and did not return calls about the police allegations.
A staff member, who would only give his name as Stan, said he knew of problems experienced by one of the trial participants but would not say what was in the pills.
He said Neuro Blast was no longer in shops - but the Weekend Herald bought some in the city yesterday.
Mr Alexander said police were aware parts of the multi-million dollar party pill industry were "pushing boundaries" with "obscure compounds" before the BZP ban.
"There are party pill suppliers selling pills without even knowing what is in them. If I was a user I would just stay away."
Mr Alexander said the party pill industry was exploiting a loophole in the Misuse of Drugs Act which meant manufacturers did not have to prove pills were safe before putting them on sale, as happened with food and medicine. Instead, the onus was on police to prove the pills were dangerous.
Source: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10473827
One test batch put a man who took them in hospital.
A Weekend Herald investigation has found at least one of the new pills contains a substance police believe is illegal.
A legal loophole means party pill makers can put products on the market without having to prove they are safe.
Doctors say the new pills being created in the rush to meet demand may be as dangerous as those being banned.
The Government aims to have its ban on core party pill ingredient BZP in effect by Christmas.
The law change will classify BZP as a class C drug.
A range of pills being marketed as "non-BZP" is now on shop shelves. The pills, with names such as "Neuro Blast", cost $40 for a pack of three.
A man who took part in a trial of non-BZP pills for Auckland company London Underground was hospitalised when he found himself almost unable to breath, went numb and had his blood pressure almost double after taking two pills in August.
He said he felt he was going to die when he was hit by a "a surge of adrenalin into my heart".
The Ministry of Health says other users of next-generation pills have had heart palpitations and their fingers or toes have turned blue.
The Neuro Blast pills are being investigated by the police national drug intelligence bureau after scientific testing found they contained a stimulating substance called diphenyl prolinol.
Bureau head Mick Alexander said police believed they could prove this was a close version or "analogue" of pipradrol, a stimulant with side effects ranging from insomnia to psychosis and convulsions.
He would not comment further, saying legal action was possible.
London Underground refused to discuss the pills with the Weekend Herald and did not return calls about the police allegations.
A staff member, who would only give his name as Stan, said he knew of problems experienced by one of the trial participants but would not say what was in the pills.
He said Neuro Blast was no longer in shops - but the Weekend Herald bought some in the city yesterday.
Mr Alexander said police were aware parts of the multi-million dollar party pill industry were "pushing boundaries" with "obscure compounds" before the BZP ban.
"There are party pill suppliers selling pills without even knowing what is in them. If I was a user I would just stay away."
Mr Alexander said the party pill industry was exploiting a loophole in the Misuse of Drugs Act which meant manufacturers did not have to prove pills were safe before putting them on sale, as happened with food and medicine. Instead, the onus was on police to prove the pills were dangerous.
Source: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10473827
Herbal Highs Facts And Recommendations For Those Who Get Herbal Highs
Herbal highs are easily accessible, legal in the United States and many more countries. The natural high is derived from herbs, herbal blends, and in some cases by using extracts. A natural euphoric high is not the same as that gotten with alcohol.
There are a few important facts that you should be aware of before considering getting a natural high. Herbs are not tobacco nor are they Marijuana. They do not produce the same kind of high gotten with tobacco or Marijuana. Each herb also has its own distinct characteristics and flavor. Some smooth herbs may be ground into a very fine powder. They burn well but might be harsh.
Let me give you a tip regarding herbal highs. When you begin smoking, it is probably best to start out with small amounts. This will help you decide whether you like its flavor or its effects. Obtaining herbal sample blends will be your best bet. It will also help your body to be come used to it.
There are some herbs when smoked that can be as addictive as nicotine is. If you are using herbal highs as an alternative to tobacco and nicotine, you may be trading one addiction for another one. However, smoking herbs will be better than tobacco and it may be a way to reel yourself of tobacco smoking.
There are some precautions you should take before getting high with herbs or making purchases of the herbs. Check the ingredients: there should be no additives or preservatives. Do not buy any herb or blend that contains Kava or other bark or root herbs because they are not smooth to smoke.
Avoid or do not smoke any product that contains the herb called Salvia Divinorum. It must burn hot to get the desired affect. When used in a blend it is difficult to get the effects. When however, it is used in a blend to smooth out the smoke, it works well.
Do not use if you have any health conditions or are taking any kind of medications without consulting your physician. Also you should not get high with herbs if you are pregnant or if you are nursing. Not enough is known of its effect on the babies. While under the influence of herbal highs do not drive or operate any machinery.
Source: http://www.safetylit.org/citations/index.php?fuseaction=citations.viewdetails&citationIds%5B%5D=citjournalarticle_78400_19
There are a few important facts that you should be aware of before considering getting a natural high. Herbs are not tobacco nor are they Marijuana. They do not produce the same kind of high gotten with tobacco or Marijuana. Each herb also has its own distinct characteristics and flavor. Some smooth herbs may be ground into a very fine powder. They burn well but might be harsh.
Let me give you a tip regarding herbal highs. When you begin smoking, it is probably best to start out with small amounts. This will help you decide whether you like its flavor or its effects. Obtaining herbal sample blends will be your best bet. It will also help your body to be come used to it.
There are some herbs when smoked that can be as addictive as nicotine is. If you are using herbal highs as an alternative to tobacco and nicotine, you may be trading one addiction for another one. However, smoking herbs will be better than tobacco and it may be a way to reel yourself of tobacco smoking.
There are some precautions you should take before getting high with herbs or making purchases of the herbs. Check the ingredients: there should be no additives or preservatives. Do not buy any herb or blend that contains Kava or other bark or root herbs because they are not smooth to smoke.
Avoid or do not smoke any product that contains the herb called Salvia Divinorum. It must burn hot to get the desired affect. When used in a blend it is difficult to get the effects. When however, it is used in a blend to smooth out the smoke, it works well.
Do not use if you have any health conditions or are taking any kind of medications without consulting your physician. Also you should not get high with herbs if you are pregnant or if you are nursing. Not enough is known of its effect on the babies. While under the influence of herbal highs do not drive or operate any machinery.
Source: http://www.safetylit.org/citations/index.php?fuseaction=citations.viewdetails&citationIds%5B%5D=citjournalarticle_78400_19
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Highs and lows: patterns of use, positive and negative effects of BZP-party pills
Background
This study aimed to investigate patterns and context of use of BZP-party pills, function of use, and positive and negative effects experienced by a sample of New Zealand young people who had used the products.
Methods
A qualitative study comprised of semi-structured interviews and group discussions.
Results
The sample included 58 young people aged 17-23 years who had used BZP-party pills in the previous 12 months. Young people were using these substances in a range of settings - primarily during weekend social occasions - particularly as part of the dance party culture. They were mostly used for their stimulant properties and to enhance socialisation, and were often taken in combination with other legal and illicit drugs. Young people had suffered a range of physical and emotional negative effects, although none of these was reported as being life-threatening or long-term. Many participants had reduced the frequency with which they used BZP-party pills due to adverse effects. Potentially risky behaviours identified included taking large doses, mixing BZP-party pills with alcohol and other substances, and driving whilst under the influence of BZP-party pills.
Conclusions
Findings suggest that young people in this study were not suffering excessive or dangerous adverse effects. However, potentially risky use of these products raises the issue of the need for developing harm reduction interventions.
Source: http://www.harmreductionjournal.com/content/4/1/18
This study aimed to investigate patterns and context of use of BZP-party pills, function of use, and positive and negative effects experienced by a sample of New Zealand young people who had used the products.
Methods
A qualitative study comprised of semi-structured interviews and group discussions.
Results
The sample included 58 young people aged 17-23 years who had used BZP-party pills in the previous 12 months. Young people were using these substances in a range of settings - primarily during weekend social occasions - particularly as part of the dance party culture. They were mostly used for their stimulant properties and to enhance socialisation, and were often taken in combination with other legal and illicit drugs. Young people had suffered a range of physical and emotional negative effects, although none of these was reported as being life-threatening or long-term. Many participants had reduced the frequency with which they used BZP-party pills due to adverse effects. Potentially risky behaviours identified included taking large doses, mixing BZP-party pills with alcohol and other substances, and driving whilst under the influence of BZP-party pills.
Conclusions
Findings suggest that young people in this study were not suffering excessive or dangerous adverse effects. However, potentially risky use of these products raises the issue of the need for developing harm reduction interventions.
Source: http://www.harmreductionjournal.com/content/4/1/18
Monday, November 19, 2007
Drug Rehab News - New Zealand Outlaws "Party Pills"
The New Zealand government has decided to ban what they call party pills that contain benzylpiperazine (BZP) and triflouro-methyl-phenylpiperazine (TFMPP). Known in New Zealand as Herbal Highs, Pep Pills or Dance Pills, these drugs have been legal for several years. In 2005, the NZ government added restrictions to make them only available to people over 18 and a new law expected to pass in 2007 will ban the drugs entirely. Although the drugs are currently legal, they can be dangerous in themselves and they are part and parcel of the after-hours drug scene that leads so many young adults to powerfully addictive narcotics and eventually into drug rehab.
Estimated to be a $30 million industry in New Zealand, the manufacture and sale of the pills was originally allowed to counter the growing number of people taking illegal amphetamines and the associated rise in drug addiction and violence. The drugs effects are similar to and, in some cases, indistinguishable from amphetamines, including MDMA. Their popularity means that an estimated 5 million pills will be sold in New Zealand in 2007 before the ban takes effect. Once the new law is passed, anyone caught supplying, manufacturing or exporting the pills would face a penalty of up to eight years imprisonment, and anyone caught in possession of the pills could be fined and imprisoned for up to three months.
Why the change in heart? Although much is still unknown about the drugs, including whether or not someone will require drug rehab to get off them, BZP is known to have adverse effects such as dilated pupils, dryness of the mouth, itching, confusion, agitation, tremor, dystonia (sustained muscle contractions causing twisting and repetitive movements or abnormal postures), headache, dizziness, anxiety, insomnia, vomiting, chest pain, tachycardia, hypertension, palpitations, collapse, hyperventilation, hyperthermia, urine retention and, at its most extreme, psychosis, renal failure and seizures.
BZP is already banned in a few countries, including the USA, Australia, Britain, Sweden, but it still available in many countries. In March this year, the European Union initiated an investigation into the health and social risks of the substance.
Just this week, a young woman in Ireland collapsed and required hospital treatment after taking BZP pills that are legally marketed as an alternative to Ecstasy in some 30 shops across Ireland. And as long ago as 2001, a report from University Hospital in Zurich, Switzerland details the death of a young woman attributed to a combination of BZP and MDMA.
From anyones perspective, a drug that causes physical collapse or death is not desirable. When the proposed ban in New Zealand takes effect, well find out how addictive these drugs really are and how many people wind up in drug rehab.From anyones perspective, a drug that causes physical collapse or death is not desirable. When the proposed ban in New Zealand takes effect, well find out how addictive these drugs really are and how many people wind up in drug rehab, trying to get off them.
Source: http://camera-filterslgqqrj.blogspot.com/2007/11/drug-rehab-news-new-zealand-outlaws.html
Estimated to be a $30 million industry in New Zealand, the manufacture and sale of the pills was originally allowed to counter the growing number of people taking illegal amphetamines and the associated rise in drug addiction and violence. The drugs effects are similar to and, in some cases, indistinguishable from amphetamines, including MDMA. Their popularity means that an estimated 5 million pills will be sold in New Zealand in 2007 before the ban takes effect. Once the new law is passed, anyone caught supplying, manufacturing or exporting the pills would face a penalty of up to eight years imprisonment, and anyone caught in possession of the pills could be fined and imprisoned for up to three months.
Why the change in heart? Although much is still unknown about the drugs, including whether or not someone will require drug rehab to get off them, BZP is known to have adverse effects such as dilated pupils, dryness of the mouth, itching, confusion, agitation, tremor, dystonia (sustained muscle contractions causing twisting and repetitive movements or abnormal postures), headache, dizziness, anxiety, insomnia, vomiting, chest pain, tachycardia, hypertension, palpitations, collapse, hyperventilation, hyperthermia, urine retention and, at its most extreme, psychosis, renal failure and seizures.
BZP is already banned in a few countries, including the USA, Australia, Britain, Sweden, but it still available in many countries. In March this year, the European Union initiated an investigation into the health and social risks of the substance.
Just this week, a young woman in Ireland collapsed and required hospital treatment after taking BZP pills that are legally marketed as an alternative to Ecstasy in some 30 shops across Ireland. And as long ago as 2001, a report from University Hospital in Zurich, Switzerland details the death of a young woman attributed to a combination of BZP and MDMA.
From anyones perspective, a drug that causes physical collapse or death is not desirable. When the proposed ban in New Zealand takes effect, well find out how addictive these drugs really are and how many people wind up in drug rehab.From anyones perspective, a drug that causes physical collapse or death is not desirable. When the proposed ban in New Zealand takes effect, well find out how addictive these drugs really are and how many people wind up in drug rehab, trying to get off them.
Source: http://camera-filterslgqqrj.blogspot.com/2007/11/drug-rehab-news-new-zealand-outlaws.html
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Legal, Illegal - It's All Lost In The Haze
It is often difficult to see where the line is drawn when it comes to the topic of legal and illegal drugs. On a college campus, it especially becomes challenging because this is where many misconceptions about drugs can become prevalent.
According to Merrill Singer, a UConn professor of anthropology, addresses these misconceptions between legal and illegal substances in his new book titled, "Drugging the Poor: Legal and Illegal Drugs and Social Inequality.""In the book, I'm trying to make the point that our conceptions and the way we think about drugs - trying to make a separation between the legal and illegal - is to a degree, a fantasy," Merrill said, according to an article published in The University of Connecticut Advance.Merrill's book discusses the idea that, "drugs impact users in the same way and are intertwined."
In other words, differences can be drawn between the two types of drugs, yet the wall of separation between them can run very thin."The terms legal and illegal do not make a difference … there are legal drugs moving to a 'street level' type of drug," according to Barry Schreier, Director of Counseling and Mental Health Services at UConn. Schreier said that abuse of legal drugs, such as OxyContin and Ritalin is a growing problem.
Another point that Singer tries to make in his new book, is the idea that there are misconceptions about the type of individuals who abuse drugs. He also addresses how advertising and money runs the drug industry. Tom Szigethy, Director of Alcohol and Other Drugs Services at UConn, has various views on this particular issue."Students don't realize they have been affected by advertising [before they come to UConn] … they realize when they are on campus," Szigethy said. Drug and alcohol industries promote their products and they do not want to know the consequences that the products may have on consumers, especially underage consumers according to Szigethy.
"The alcohol industry does not have federal constituency to overlook them," he said. Singer's book also addresses social inequality and how "decade after decade [passes] with only occasional flare-ups of social unrest."Szigethy makes the point about socio-economic status and how "The impoverished have less resources … and money talks in society."Szigethy also said how most advertisements are targeted "toward a socio-economic stance," which tends to target the lower classes.Schreier says that everything "depends upon each individual." Szigethy added that "Students have the power to change a situation … a voice has to be given to those who use healthy behavior." Individuals simply need to see that they can make a difference.Singer addresses many issues in his new book, and they are issues he thinks that will take time to be addressed completely. Yet, he makes it clear that there are misconceptions when it comes to legal and illegal drugs. Singer also discusses how these industries are driven by money and advertisements, and how drug abuse is heavily targeted at the impoverished areas.
Source: http://media.www.dailycampus.com/media/storage/paper340/news/2007/10/30/News/Legal.Illegal.Its.All.Lost.In.The.Haze-3065157.shtml
According to Merrill Singer, a UConn professor of anthropology, addresses these misconceptions between legal and illegal substances in his new book titled, "Drugging the Poor: Legal and Illegal Drugs and Social Inequality.""In the book, I'm trying to make the point that our conceptions and the way we think about drugs - trying to make a separation between the legal and illegal - is to a degree, a fantasy," Merrill said, according to an article published in The University of Connecticut Advance.Merrill's book discusses the idea that, "drugs impact users in the same way and are intertwined."
In other words, differences can be drawn between the two types of drugs, yet the wall of separation between them can run very thin."The terms legal and illegal do not make a difference … there are legal drugs moving to a 'street level' type of drug," according to Barry Schreier, Director of Counseling and Mental Health Services at UConn. Schreier said that abuse of legal drugs, such as OxyContin and Ritalin is a growing problem.
Another point that Singer tries to make in his new book, is the idea that there are misconceptions about the type of individuals who abuse drugs. He also addresses how advertising and money runs the drug industry. Tom Szigethy, Director of Alcohol and Other Drugs Services at UConn, has various views on this particular issue."Students don't realize they have been affected by advertising [before they come to UConn] … they realize when they are on campus," Szigethy said. Drug and alcohol industries promote their products and they do not want to know the consequences that the products may have on consumers, especially underage consumers according to Szigethy.
"The alcohol industry does not have federal constituency to overlook them," he said. Singer's book also addresses social inequality and how "decade after decade [passes] with only occasional flare-ups of social unrest."Szigethy makes the point about socio-economic status and how "The impoverished have less resources … and money talks in society."Szigethy also said how most advertisements are targeted "toward a socio-economic stance," which tends to target the lower classes.Schreier says that everything "depends upon each individual." Szigethy added that "Students have the power to change a situation … a voice has to be given to those who use healthy behavior." Individuals simply need to see that they can make a difference.Singer addresses many issues in his new book, and they are issues he thinks that will take time to be addressed completely. Yet, he makes it clear that there are misconceptions when it comes to legal and illegal drugs. Singer also discusses how these industries are driven by money and advertisements, and how drug abuse is heavily targeted at the impoverished areas.
Source: http://media.www.dailycampus.com/media/storage/paper340/news/2007/10/30/News/Legal.Illegal.Its.All.Lost.In.The.Haze-3065157.shtml
Saturday, November 17, 2007
The banning of party pills has come a step closer
MPs vote to advance ban on party pills
A bill outlawing possession of pills containing benzylpiperazine (BZP) has been referred back to Parliament with a majority of health committee members recommending that it be passed.
Only Green Party and Maori Party members on the committee disagreed, saying party pills should be regulated rather than prohibited.
The Misuse of Drugs (Classification of BZP) Amendment Bill will classify party pills as C1 drugs, the same as cannabis. It will be illegal to possess, use, sell, supply, import or manufacture BZP.
If the bill is passed in its present form there will be a six-month amnesty for possession of up to five grams or 100 tablets for personal use. Then BZP will become illegal. Under the Misuse of Drugs Act people possessing C1 drugs can be jailed for three months, fined up to $500, or both.
The bill was presented by Associate Health Minister Jim Anderton on the recommendation of the Health Ministry-appointed expert advisory committee on drugs. It said recent studies showed BZP was harmful and could cause fatal seizures.
Matt Bowden, chairman of the Social Tonics Association party pill industry group, said the health select committee process was a farce and if the bill was passed people were likely to use more dangerous drugs.
It was a political exercise so politicians could say they were tough on drugs, he said. "Tobacco killed 5000 Kiwis last year, alcohol killed 1000 Kiwis last year, party pills have killed zero Kiwis in the past seven years. Which one are we banning and why?"
Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominionpost/4275068a23917.html
A bill outlawing possession of pills containing benzylpiperazine (BZP) has been referred back to Parliament with a majority of health committee members recommending that it be passed.
Only Green Party and Maori Party members on the committee disagreed, saying party pills should be regulated rather than prohibited.
The Misuse of Drugs (Classification of BZP) Amendment Bill will classify party pills as C1 drugs, the same as cannabis. It will be illegal to possess, use, sell, supply, import or manufacture BZP.
If the bill is passed in its present form there will be a six-month amnesty for possession of up to five grams or 100 tablets for personal use. Then BZP will become illegal. Under the Misuse of Drugs Act people possessing C1 drugs can be jailed for three months, fined up to $500, or both.
The bill was presented by Associate Health Minister Jim Anderton on the recommendation of the Health Ministry-appointed expert advisory committee on drugs. It said recent studies showed BZP was harmful and could cause fatal seizures.
Matt Bowden, chairman of the Social Tonics Association party pill industry group, said the health select committee process was a farce and if the bill was passed people were likely to use more dangerous drugs.
It was a political exercise so politicians could say they were tough on drugs, he said. "Tobacco killed 5000 Kiwis last year, alcohol killed 1000 Kiwis last year, party pills have killed zero Kiwis in the past seven years. Which one are we banning and why?"
Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominionpost/4275068a23917.html
Club Drugs (Ecstasy, Roofies, Special K): Myths and Risks
What is a "club drug"?
The most common club drugs are MDMA ("Ecstasy"), GHB ("Liquid Ecstasy"), flunitrazepam ("Roofies") and ketamine ("Special K"). They have many other slang names. Club drugs make users feel more open and intimate, and less shy. They are popular in nightclubs, at parties and at raves (all-night dance parties).
Are club drugs safe?
No. Although most club drugs look like prescription medicines, they are made illegally and can cause harm. Often, these drugs are a mix of unknown products. Club drugs harm the brain and may cause memory problems. They can also cause physical problems such as loss of muscle control, blurred vision and seizures. Drugs such as MDMA are stimulants that can increase your heart rate and blood pressure. Taking drugs such as GBH can lead to breathing problems or loss of consciousness.
Are club drugs addictive?
Yes. Many club drugs are types of methamphetamine ("meth"), which is very addictive. People also can become addicted to GHB and flunitrazepam. These drugs can cause severe and long-lasting symptoms.
Is it safe to use a club drug in a small amount?
No. People react differently to these drugs, and even a single pill can cause death in some people. Also, because they are made illegally, the strength of these drugs can vary from batch to batch.
How do I know if my friends are taking club drugs?Club drugs may cause people to get too hot. If a friend looks too hot or feels weak or sick, get him or her to a cool, quiet place as soon as you can. If the person is thirsty, give him or her a sports drink (like Gatorade), not plain water. If the person doesn't start feeling better, get medical help right away.
Are there any other dangers from club drugs?
Club drugs often are used as "date rape" drugs. The following are things you can do to prevent someone from giving you a club drug without your knowledge:
Always keep your drink with you.
Never take a drink from someone you don't know and trust.
Watch out for your friends' drinks.
Source: http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/addictions/drugs/823.printerview.html
The most common club drugs are MDMA ("Ecstasy"), GHB ("Liquid Ecstasy"), flunitrazepam ("Roofies") and ketamine ("Special K"). They have many other slang names. Club drugs make users feel more open and intimate, and less shy. They are popular in nightclubs, at parties and at raves (all-night dance parties).
Are club drugs safe?
No. Although most club drugs look like prescription medicines, they are made illegally and can cause harm. Often, these drugs are a mix of unknown products. Club drugs harm the brain and may cause memory problems. They can also cause physical problems such as loss of muscle control, blurred vision and seizures. Drugs such as MDMA are stimulants that can increase your heart rate and blood pressure. Taking drugs such as GBH can lead to breathing problems or loss of consciousness.
Are club drugs addictive?
Yes. Many club drugs are types of methamphetamine ("meth"), which is very addictive. People also can become addicted to GHB and flunitrazepam. These drugs can cause severe and long-lasting symptoms.
Is it safe to use a club drug in a small amount?
No. People react differently to these drugs, and even a single pill can cause death in some people. Also, because they are made illegally, the strength of these drugs can vary from batch to batch.
How do I know if my friends are taking club drugs?Club drugs may cause people to get too hot. If a friend looks too hot or feels weak or sick, get him or her to a cool, quiet place as soon as you can. If the person is thirsty, give him or her a sports drink (like Gatorade), not plain water. If the person doesn't start feeling better, get medical help right away.
Are there any other dangers from club drugs?
Club drugs often are used as "date rape" drugs. The following are things you can do to prevent someone from giving you a club drug without your knowledge:
Always keep your drink with you.
Never take a drink from someone you don't know and trust.
Watch out for your friends' drinks.
Source: http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/addictions/drugs/823.printerview.html
Friday, November 16, 2007
EU to ban party pills as experts warn of big risks
'PARTY pills' - which are now legally sold as ecstasy substitutes at dance clubs in Ireland and on the web, or as slimming pills in health stores - are likely to be banned throughout the EU.
BZP (benzylpiperazine) tablets are synthetic and work on the central nervous system. They are already illegal in seven EU states, the US and Australia but legal in Ireland, the UK, New Zealand and Canada.
EU justice ministers will be asked in September to ban the pills in all 27 member states. European Commission experts, at the European Monitoring Centre on Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), have warned of serious side-effects. Speaking in Brussels yesterday, they said 13 EU countries had found the tablets increasingly turning up among other drugs.
If most justice ministers agree in September, as Commission officials expect, their sale and distribution should be made a criminal offence no later than a year after the decision.
The tablets are relatively easily and cheaply manufactured, mainly in India, and have been turning up in increasingly large numbers in drugs seizures.
The average profit is at least 300 times the cost of ingredients.
A recent drugs bust in the UK yielded among various quantities of illicit drugs some 65,000 BZP tablets. They are becoming increasingly popular in Northern Ireland and are used to bulk out other illegal 'recreational' drugs.
Withdrawn
European Commission officials yesterday admitted that to date the drugs have not been associated with organised crime but conceded this might happen after a ban.
BZP, originally marketed as a potential anti-depressant in the 1970s, was quickly withdrawn when its effects - similar to those of amphetamine - were discovered.
It started to turn up in Europe just under seven years ago and more recently in Irish nightclubs and at private parties. It can be obtained through health-food stores or from various websites where it is sometimes marketed as 'legal ecstasy' but is also known as A2, Frenzy and Nemesis.
The drug causes euphoria and increased sensitivity especially to dance music.
It is associated with anxiety, delusion, hallucination, paranoia, psychosis, liver failure and seizures.
Source: http://www.independent.ie/national-news/eu-to-ban-party-pills-as-experts-warn-of-big-risks-1039273.html
BZP (benzylpiperazine) tablets are synthetic and work on the central nervous system. They are already illegal in seven EU states, the US and Australia but legal in Ireland, the UK, New Zealand and Canada.
EU justice ministers will be asked in September to ban the pills in all 27 member states. European Commission experts, at the European Monitoring Centre on Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), have warned of serious side-effects. Speaking in Brussels yesterday, they said 13 EU countries had found the tablets increasingly turning up among other drugs.
If most justice ministers agree in September, as Commission officials expect, their sale and distribution should be made a criminal offence no later than a year after the decision.
The tablets are relatively easily and cheaply manufactured, mainly in India, and have been turning up in increasingly large numbers in drugs seizures.
The average profit is at least 300 times the cost of ingredients.
A recent drugs bust in the UK yielded among various quantities of illicit drugs some 65,000 BZP tablets. They are becoming increasingly popular in Northern Ireland and are used to bulk out other illegal 'recreational' drugs.
Withdrawn
European Commission officials yesterday admitted that to date the drugs have not been associated with organised crime but conceded this might happen after a ban.
BZP, originally marketed as a potential anti-depressant in the 1970s, was quickly withdrawn when its effects - similar to those of amphetamine - were discovered.
It started to turn up in Europe just under seven years ago and more recently in Irish nightclubs and at private parties. It can be obtained through health-food stores or from various websites where it is sometimes marketed as 'legal ecstasy' but is also known as A2, Frenzy and Nemesis.
The drug causes euphoria and increased sensitivity especially to dance music.
It is associated with anxiety, delusion, hallucination, paranoia, psychosis, liver failure and seizures.
Source: http://www.independent.ie/national-news/eu-to-ban-party-pills-as-experts-warn-of-big-risks-1039273.html
Doctors warn against party pills
Doctors have weighed into the debate over party pills, with the Medical Association saying people should not take them even though they are legal.
Association chairman Ross Boswell says there are growing doubts about the safety of the BZP-based pills.
He says people who insist on taking them should not take large doses, or mix them with alcohol, other drugs, or prescription medicine.
The government is considering whether the pills should be banned or at least have their distribution restricted.
Source: http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/411749/877036
Association chairman Ross Boswell says there are growing doubts about the safety of the BZP-based pills.
He says people who insist on taking them should not take large doses, or mix them with alcohol, other drugs, or prescription medicine.
The government is considering whether the pills should be banned or at least have their distribution restricted.
Source: http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/411749/877036
BZP party pill ban passes committee hurdle
Parliament's health select committee has ticked off the bill to ban BZP-based party pills and recommended that it be passed.
BZP (benzylpiperazine) is the active ingredient in most party pills.
The bill was introduced in September, and drew many submissions when it was sent to the select committee for public input.
The select committee's recommendation was supported by a majority of its members.
The Green Party and the Maori Party disagreed with the recommendation and put in minority reports.
The Greens said the bill was "politically expedient, rushed, knee-jerk legislation" which might increase rather than reduce the harm associated with party pills.
"It will enable some MPs and the media to table thump about being `harsh on drugs' but in our view it is likely to result in many people switching to more harmful, illegal risky drugs like ecstasy and methamphetamine and new generation party pills," the Greens said.
The Maori Party said it did not agree that banning the pills was the best way to reduce their use and minimise harmful effects.
"The Maori Party considers that a strictly enforced, strongly regulated regime, with monitoring of resultant use and harm levels, is a better first step than prohibition," it said.
The bill will now go back on Parliament's agenda for its second reading.
After it has passed that, it will still have to go through its committee and third reading stages before it becomes law.
Since the bill was introduced there have been reports that some manufacturers are trying to beat a ban by using alternative chemicals.
Earlier this month a man who tested a "new generation" party pill ended up in hospital after taking two of them.
He had taken part in a trial of non-BZP pills for Auckland company London Underground.
He said he felt he was going to die when his heart was hit by a surge of adrenaline that almost doubled his blood pressure.
Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/4274362a11.html
BZP (benzylpiperazine) is the active ingredient in most party pills.
The bill was introduced in September, and drew many submissions when it was sent to the select committee for public input.
The select committee's recommendation was supported by a majority of its members.
The Green Party and the Maori Party disagreed with the recommendation and put in minority reports.
The Greens said the bill was "politically expedient, rushed, knee-jerk legislation" which might increase rather than reduce the harm associated with party pills.
"It will enable some MPs and the media to table thump about being `harsh on drugs' but in our view it is likely to result in many people switching to more harmful, illegal risky drugs like ecstasy and methamphetamine and new generation party pills," the Greens said.
The Maori Party said it did not agree that banning the pills was the best way to reduce their use and minimise harmful effects.
"The Maori Party considers that a strictly enforced, strongly regulated regime, with monitoring of resultant use and harm levels, is a better first step than prohibition," it said.
The bill will now go back on Parliament's agenda for its second reading.
After it has passed that, it will still have to go through its committee and third reading stages before it becomes law.
Since the bill was introduced there have been reports that some manufacturers are trying to beat a ban by using alternative chemicals.
Earlier this month a man who tested a "new generation" party pill ended up in hospital after taking two of them.
He had taken part in a trial of non-BZP pills for Auckland company London Underground.
He said he felt he was going to die when his heart was hit by a surge of adrenaline that almost doubled his blood pressure.
Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/4274362a11.html
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Party Pills vs Tobacco and Alcohol
Toddlers as young as 18 months have swallowed party pills - which contain a drug that can cause potentially fatal kidney failure - according to figures from the National Poisons Centre.
National MP Jacqui Dean, who is campaigning for the pills to be banned, quoted the statistics to Parliament's health select committee yesterday on the first day of submissions on legislation to outlaw them.
The figures show that from July 2002 to last October, the centre was contacted regarding 16 children and teenagers under 16 consuming piperazine-based party pills. This included two aged 18 months, two of 23 months and one of 24 months.
A medical toxicologist at the Otago University-based centre, Dr John Fountain, said it had no information on the outcomes for any of the youngsters.
Children who take party pills could suffer seizures and muscle breakdown and their kidneys could go into acute renal failure ending in death. Some adults have also reported seizures.
Mrs Dean said it was clearly dangerous for children to take party pills.
Christchurch Hospital emergency department physician Paul Gee recalled that two or three toddlers aged about 2 had been brought to the hospital by parents concerned their children had consumed party pills, but it was unclear whether they had.
The children were thought to have got into bottles or handbags and their parents thought they were acting strangely.
"We keep them in for three or four hours and try and assess whether there is any sign of toxicity. We certainly didn't see any toxicity."
It was not clear whether young children would be more or less susceptible to the adverse effects of party pills, which for adults included sleeplessness, coma and seizures.
Dr Gee said hospitals saw children who had ingested many kinds of medicines, most commonly paracetamol tablets and syrup, even when they had been stored in "child-proof" containers or packaging. He had seen party pills in various kinds of packaging including bags - and plastic boxes that would entice children. "I've seen some quite inviting ones that look like they are Tic Tac boxes."
The bill, which has strong support in Parliament, would make BZP and related party pills class C1 drugs, making people caught possessing them liable to a maximum of three months imprisonment and/or a fine of up to a $500.
National MP Jacqui DeanThe select committee's chairwoman, Green MP Sue Kedgley, questioned Mrs Dean on whether it would make more sense to increase the restrictions on the marketing and sale of tobacco and alcohol before banning party pills, because alcohol and tobacco were associated with thousands of deaths a year in New Zealand and party pills with none.
Source: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=204&objectid=10469204
National MP Jacqui Dean, who is campaigning for the pills to be banned, quoted the statistics to Parliament's health select committee yesterday on the first day of submissions on legislation to outlaw them.
The figures show that from July 2002 to last October, the centre was contacted regarding 16 children and teenagers under 16 consuming piperazine-based party pills. This included two aged 18 months, two of 23 months and one of 24 months.
A medical toxicologist at the Otago University-based centre, Dr John Fountain, said it had no information on the outcomes for any of the youngsters.
Children who take party pills could suffer seizures and muscle breakdown and their kidneys could go into acute renal failure ending in death. Some adults have also reported seizures.
Mrs Dean said it was clearly dangerous for children to take party pills.
Christchurch Hospital emergency department physician Paul Gee recalled that two or three toddlers aged about 2 had been brought to the hospital by parents concerned their children had consumed party pills, but it was unclear whether they had.
The children were thought to have got into bottles or handbags and their parents thought they were acting strangely.
"We keep them in for three or four hours and try and assess whether there is any sign of toxicity. We certainly didn't see any toxicity."
It was not clear whether young children would be more or less susceptible to the adverse effects of party pills, which for adults included sleeplessness, coma and seizures.
Dr Gee said hospitals saw children who had ingested many kinds of medicines, most commonly paracetamol tablets and syrup, even when they had been stored in "child-proof" containers or packaging. He had seen party pills in various kinds of packaging including bags - and plastic boxes that would entice children. "I've seen some quite inviting ones that look like they are Tic Tac boxes."
The bill, which has strong support in Parliament, would make BZP and related party pills class C1 drugs, making people caught possessing them liable to a maximum of three months imprisonment and/or a fine of up to a $500.
National MP Jacqui DeanThe select committee's chairwoman, Green MP Sue Kedgley, questioned Mrs Dean on whether it would make more sense to increase the restrictions on the marketing and sale of tobacco and alcohol before banning party pills, because alcohol and tobacco were associated with thousands of deaths a year in New Zealand and party pills with none.
Source: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=204&objectid=10469204
Risk-taking kiwis protest looming "party pill" ban
WELLINGTON (Reuters) - Skiing down active volcanoes is perfectly alright, so is bungy-jumping off canyons and "zorbing" down mountains in massive inflatable plastic balls.
But should risk-taking New Zealanders be allowed to pop the legal stimulants they call "party pills"?
Frenzy, Torque and D-lite may not be New Zealand's best-known inventions, but kiwi fans fighting a proposed government ban argue their legal highs are safer than many of the small country's dangerous pastimes.
"There have been 26 million party pills consumed and zero deaths," says Aucklander Matt Bowden, 36, who started the national craze that has grown into a NZ$25 (US$17) million industry over the last six years.
Bowden, chair of party pills industry body the Social Tonics Association of New Zealand (STANZ), has argued many sports should be banned before the pills are if the country is to be consistent about evaluating risk.
"You're more likely to die in a 747, or driving to work in Auckland traffic," he said.
CATTLE DRENCH
Initially synthesised by Bowden and a neuropharmacologist in 2000 to help friends break their addictions to methamphetamine, the synthetic benzylpiperazine (BZP)-based party pills have taken the country of four million by storm.
Costing $40 for a pack of four, the pills are sold everywhere from service stations and hairdressers to 24-hour party pill boutiques, and even that iconic institution of laid-back New Zealand life, the corner "dairy" or convenience store.
But BZP's unlikely pedigree -- created as a cattle drench in 1944 to kill bowel parasites in cattle -- means little was known about its effects on humans when it burst onto the social scene.
"I sometimes think the people selling them should have a sign: 'Come and queue up for your cattle drench here'," says Associate Health Minister Jim Anderton, who will report on whether the pills should be banned later this month.
Despite opposition calls for a ban, Anderton said he will not follow the example of Australia, Denmark and the United States and issue a knee-jerk prohibition before accurate information is gathered.
"I don't just turn up on a Monday morning and write down on the back of an envelope how many things I want to ban. There's a process. We have an evidence-based drug policy," he told Reuters.
RISKY BUSINESS
The runaway popularity of the pills, which affect the brain's dopamine and noradrenaline neurotransmitter systems to give an ecstasy-like high, has seen the government race to catch-up.
A June 2005 reclassification of BZP as a restricted substance prevents their sale to under-18s and restricted advertising. But it does not seem to have slowed demand for the otherwise unregulated pills.
A 2006 National Household Survey found one in five kiwis between 15 and 45 have used party pills, making them as popular as the number one illegal drug, cannabis, also used by 20 percent of the population last year.
The pills' swift, and surprising, rise from obscurity has put the government in an unusually tricky position, Anderton said.
"Normally drug makers have to prove that it is safe. Why do we have to prove it's unsafe? The onus has been reversed. It's amazing that we've got to come up with evidence that they're safe or not," he said.
Meanwhile, the National Household Survey reported that BZP levels have soared from 30-40 mg per pill to around 200 mg. And other drug experts worry that the lack of regulation means unidentified chemicals can easily creep into the pills.
"They'll put down the dose of BZP but not always other piperazines like TFMPP (Trifluoromethylphenylpiperazine,) on the label. Sometimes they just put "piperazine-blend" which is completely meaningless," said Mairead Harnett of the National Poisons Centre, who led a BZP toxicity study last year.
Harnett, whose 24-hour hotline fielded 400 calls from doctors and party pill takers over the last four years, says there is enough evidence for BZP to be reclassified as an illegal, class C, drug, because of its amphetamine-like effects.
If the government draws the same conclusion, the pills could be banned within six months. Until then, a lack of hard and fast information keeps them on shelves.
"I regard them the same as cigarettes, not particularly nice, not really good for people, but they're legal," said one central Wellington convenience store owner, who declined to be named. "I'll sell them while they're legal".
LEGAL APPEAL
Despite the risks pill-poppers are taking, some drug experts worry a BZP ban might push kiwis back to illicit drugs.
"I think users would stop using BZP and go back to cannabis, methamphetamine and ecstasy, because pharmacologically, they are better drugs than BZP," said Chris Wilkins, who led the 2006 National Household Survey of Legal Party Pill Use.
At NZ$10 per party pill -- compared to NZ$60-$80 for an ecstasy tab
Source: http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=365012007
But should risk-taking New Zealanders be allowed to pop the legal stimulants they call "party pills"?
Frenzy, Torque and D-lite may not be New Zealand's best-known inventions, but kiwi fans fighting a proposed government ban argue their legal highs are safer than many of the small country's dangerous pastimes.
"There have been 26 million party pills consumed and zero deaths," says Aucklander Matt Bowden, 36, who started the national craze that has grown into a NZ$25 (US$17) million industry over the last six years.
Bowden, chair of party pills industry body the Social Tonics Association of New Zealand (STANZ), has argued many sports should be banned before the pills are if the country is to be consistent about evaluating risk.
"You're more likely to die in a 747, or driving to work in Auckland traffic," he said.
CATTLE DRENCH
Initially synthesised by Bowden and a neuropharmacologist in 2000 to help friends break their addictions to methamphetamine, the synthetic benzylpiperazine (BZP)-based party pills have taken the country of four million by storm.
Costing $40 for a pack of four, the pills are sold everywhere from service stations and hairdressers to 24-hour party pill boutiques, and even that iconic institution of laid-back New Zealand life, the corner "dairy" or convenience store.
But BZP's unlikely pedigree -- created as a cattle drench in 1944 to kill bowel parasites in cattle -- means little was known about its effects on humans when it burst onto the social scene.
"I sometimes think the people selling them should have a sign: 'Come and queue up for your cattle drench here'," says Associate Health Minister Jim Anderton, who will report on whether the pills should be banned later this month.
Despite opposition calls for a ban, Anderton said he will not follow the example of Australia, Denmark and the United States and issue a knee-jerk prohibition before accurate information is gathered.
"I don't just turn up on a Monday morning and write down on the back of an envelope how many things I want to ban. There's a process. We have an evidence-based drug policy," he told Reuters.
RISKY BUSINESS
The runaway popularity of the pills, which affect the brain's dopamine and noradrenaline neurotransmitter systems to give an ecstasy-like high, has seen the government race to catch-up.
A June 2005 reclassification of BZP as a restricted substance prevents their sale to under-18s and restricted advertising. But it does not seem to have slowed demand for the otherwise unregulated pills.
A 2006 National Household Survey found one in five kiwis between 15 and 45 have used party pills, making them as popular as the number one illegal drug, cannabis, also used by 20 percent of the population last year.
The pills' swift, and surprising, rise from obscurity has put the government in an unusually tricky position, Anderton said.
"Normally drug makers have to prove that it is safe. Why do we have to prove it's unsafe? The onus has been reversed. It's amazing that we've got to come up with evidence that they're safe or not," he said.
Meanwhile, the National Household Survey reported that BZP levels have soared from 30-40 mg per pill to around 200 mg. And other drug experts worry that the lack of regulation means unidentified chemicals can easily creep into the pills.
"They'll put down the dose of BZP but not always other piperazines like TFMPP (Trifluoromethylphenylpiperazine,) on the label. Sometimes they just put "piperazine-blend" which is completely meaningless," said Mairead Harnett of the National Poisons Centre, who led a BZP toxicity study last year.
Harnett, whose 24-hour hotline fielded 400 calls from doctors and party pill takers over the last four years, says there is enough evidence for BZP to be reclassified as an illegal, class C, drug, because of its amphetamine-like effects.
If the government draws the same conclusion, the pills could be banned within six months. Until then, a lack of hard and fast information keeps them on shelves.
"I regard them the same as cigarettes, not particularly nice, not really good for people, but they're legal," said one central Wellington convenience store owner, who declined to be named. "I'll sell them while they're legal".
LEGAL APPEAL
Despite the risks pill-poppers are taking, some drug experts worry a BZP ban might push kiwis back to illicit drugs.
"I think users would stop using BZP and go back to cannabis, methamphetamine and ecstasy, because pharmacologically, they are better drugs than BZP," said Chris Wilkins, who led the 2006 National Household Survey of Legal Party Pill Use.
At NZ$10 per party pill -- compared to NZ$60-$80 for an ecstasy tab
Source: http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=365012007
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