TIMARU SUPPLIER DEFENDS ONE4B

The Timaru man at the centre of the controversy over the party drug
One4b on Wednesday defended his role.

James McNee, the director of Alphaware NZ, said the 1,4 butanediol
solution deemed potentially harmful by the Ministry of Health is not
dangerous if used correctly.

He has taken the substance three or four times a day for the last two
years with no ill effects.

"If used correctly it can be a beneficial weight loss and sleeping aid."

He said the substance broke down into water and carbon dioxide and
left no toxic traces in the body, and there were more people
preaching its benefits than there were victims.

"The only time anyone hears about it is when people take too much or
mix it with alcohol or other drugs.

"It's just like everything else taken in excess. Too many vitamins
can make you sick."

Alphaware markets a product called Puritech as a record, CD and head
cleaner. The chemical is imported from Australia, mixed with
distilled water, rebottled and labelled.

Puritech is advertised as not intended for use as a dietary
supplement, but Mr McNee acknowledged some customers purchase the
product for recreational use.

One of the distributors is Auckland-based company Outerspace, which
buys the Puritech and repackages it into sachets, which it sells as
One4b.

Mr McNee said that when Outerspace said it would be selling One4b at
Auckland's Big Day Out concert, he knew he would be receiving a visit
from the Ministry of Health.

That happened on Tuesday with the ministry seizing Alphaware's 60-70
litres of Puritech stocks.

Mr McNee said he did not think Mark Barlow who runs the One4b
distribution company, had altered the Puritech product.

"There was talk of putting a dye in it so it was recognisable and
flavouring it with peppermint, but it looks like that never happened."

If taken straight, it has a slight chemical taste, Mr McNee said.

One4b is marketed as a dietary supplement but is a close chemical
cousin of the illegal drug Fantasy, also known as GBH (grievous
bodily harm) or liquid ecstasy. It is made from a different chemical
but when ingested, the body's fluids turn it into GHB
(gamma-hydroxybutyrate) which is used to make Fantasy.

Mr McNee had previously marketed a similar solution containing 1,4
butanediol as a dietary supplement, but changed its market after
hearing about trouble in the United States.

"Sold as a dietary supplement it was going to be an issue that would
be addressed sooner or later because of what happened in the States.
It (1,4 butanediol) is illegal in some American states."

Mr McNee said that outlawing 1,4 butanediol would not be the end of
chemicals of its type being consumed.

"If they ban this there will be something else to replace it."

Mr McNee and local distributor Steve Ross hope their product is
returned soon and do not think they have breached the Food Act.

"We don't market it as an ingestible product. People are going to
think twice about taking a solvent."