PARTY PILL CRITICS FEAR NEW WAVE OF DRUGS

Kevin Rodden is one person who won't be sad to see the back of BZP
party pills - his son spent three weeks in a coma after taking one.

Ben Rodden, 23, of Greymouth, was put into an induced coma in
Christchurch Hospital's intensive care unit last year after taking a
party pill named Torque.

He was the second party-pill victim to be admitted to the unit in a fortnight.

He had collapsed at a dance party. Initial tests found BZP and
caffeine in his system and a urine test revealed traces of ecstasy.
Doctors said BZP was likely to have caused the collapse.

Ben Rodden was now working on the Gold Coast.

"He's right off it all. He said he'd never take them again," his father said.

Mr Rodden said he was worried that alternatives to the banned pills
were being manufactured.

No research had been done into the effects of BZP before it was put
on the market, he said.

Side-effects of party pills reported at emergency departments around
New Zealand included anxiety, panic attacks, sleeplessness and seizures.

A study released last year found the number of patients turning up at
Auckland City Hospital with party-pill overdoses had increased
sharply, but they were rare compared with other drug overdoses.

Wellington Hospital emergency medicine specialist Paul Quigley said
yesterday that BZP had not been a big problem in the capital, perhaps
because the population was relatively well-educated.

Most of the cases the department saw were minor.

He expected people would start taking other drugs to fill the gap.

Late last year, the department had a "surprisingly large" number of
people turning up who had taken the non-BZP party pill Neuro Blast, he said.

"That had quite a few problems, mainly causing significant insomnia
and anxiety."

But that problem had died down.

Neuro Blast was investigated by the police last year because it
allegedly contained a stimulating substance called diphenyl prolinol.

Wellington's Medical Research Institute pulled the plug on the first
major clinical study of TFMPP and BZP-based party pills because of
adverse health effects on participants.

Its director, Professor Richard Beasley, said yesterday that
researchers were concerned the development of those pills had not
been subjected to the testing required of pharmaceutical companies.

Critics say the 16-month time lag since the law change was signalled
and the bill passed gave manufacturers too much time to work on new pills.

A spokeswoman for Associate Health Minister Jim Anderton said Mr
Anderton was aware new drug varieties had hit the market, and had
instructed the Law Commission to carry out a review of drug legislation.

Drug Foundation director Ross Bell said the agency remained sceptical
about the law change. While some users would give up drugs, many
would find an alternative.

He also warned users against stockpiling, as those with more than 100
pills were classified as suppliers and therefore liable for prosecution.