MOVE TO BAN STIMULANT BZP

BZP, a psychoactive stimulant promoted as a legal alternative to
ecstasy and amphetamines, is to be banned in Britain.

The government's advisory committee on the misuse of drugs will
today begin the process of making it a controlled substance,
following a recommendation from the European Union. It is likely to
become a class C drug before the end of the year.

BZP was once almost marketed as an antidepressant until its
similarity to amphetamines was noted. It has been associated with
vomiting, anxiety, insomnia, mood swings and seizures. It is already
a controlled drug in eight EU countries.

The EU action is binding and requires all EU member states to take
legal action within a year.

There has been no direct evidence of BZP causing death, although it
has been linked to several fatalities in the UK.