NATS AND NZ FIRST CALL FOR PARTY PILL BAN

Two Political Parties Are Putting Pressure on the Government to Ban
Party Pills.

National and New Zealand First want Associate Health Minister Jim
Anderton to made a decision, and say he has had long enough to
consider the situation.

Mr Anderton, who is in charge of the Government's drugs policy, said
yesterday he needed more time to study expert advice before taking
any steps to ban party pills.

The question is whether pills containing benzylpiperazine (BZP)
should be banned.

At present they can be legally purchased by people over 18, but
critics say pill doses are often far higher than recommended and lead
to serious harm.

National's associate health spokeswoman, Jacqui Dean, said Mr
Anderton was dragging his heels.

"The minister has already received expert information on the issue
yet he refuses to act," she said.

"With the party season approaching, Mr Anderton's inaction can only
mean trouble."

NZ First's health spokeswoman Barbara Stewart said her party had
always believed the pills were dangerous and should be banned.

"Teenagers in this country already have more than enough access to
mood altering substances," she said.

"They don't need party pills as well - especially since no reputable
research has been carried out into their safety and the long-term
effects are unknown."

Ms Stewart said emergency department doctors had reported patients
with symptoms such as anxiety, panic attacks, elevated heart rates,
hallucinations, headaches, vomiting and even convulsions from pills
which were presumed safe because they were legally available.

Earlier this year a Ministry of Health survey found one in five New
Zealanders had tried party pills.

At the time, emergency medicine specialist Paul Gee said there was
"more than enough" evidence that a ban was needed.

Dr Gee said some people using the pills suffered serious problems
including life-threatening seizures and even psychiatric illnesses.