 | Energy Pills considered by Expert Advisory Committee on Drugs |
 In what seems like the latest media-driven drug-scare panic, the Ministry of Health's Expert Advisory Committee on Drugs is considering the legal status of benzylpiperazine (BZP) and trifluromethylphenylpiperazine (TFMPP), the active ingredients in popular energy pills such as Euphoria, Charge, Rapture, Blast, Nemi, Jump, ESP, Exodus and Frenzy.
The decision to review the law comes after increasing police and media concern over the availability of the legal pills. Industry spokespeople told Norml over 5 million doses have been sold in New Zealand, and point out that most retailers follow a long-standing voluntary R18 age limit. The only incident had been several people who recently checked themselves into hospital in Dunedin and were later discharged. Nevertheless, the industry was heeding public concern and developing a code of practise to ensure the energy pills are manufactured to the highest standards and marketed responsibly.
The committee is staying tight-lipped over what it intends to recommend. Nandor Tanczos pointed out that if the pills remained legal they could be regulated, with restrictions on their sale, such as R18, introduced. He proposed that a new schedule be introduced to the Misuse of Drugs Act, Class D, where substances such as BZP could be controlled but not criminalised.
NORML's Chris Fowlie warned that banning the pills could increase the use of methamphetamine. There was obviously huge demand for products that increased energy and stamina, and if that demand was not met with legal regulated supplements it would be met by the black market. A ban would be welcomed by people who sell hard drugs, he said.
The process for scheduling drugs in the Misuse of Drugs Act is outlined on the EACD website. It took around 18 months to make methamphetamine (P) class A.
 27/03/04 Call for Perspective on Legal Party Drugs
18/03/04 Legal Party Drugs Facing Ban
 18/03/04 Nandor calls for regulation of ‘legal highs’
13/03/04 Bid to Outlaw Legal Party Drugs
|
|
|
|
| |
| Login |
|
You can register for some special extra features. | |
| Article Rating |
Average Score: 3.71
Votes: 14
| |
|
