TOUGH LAW ON ECSTASY

Parliament has passed legislation to allow swifter action against new
designer drugs, including Ecstasy.

The Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill drastically lowers the threshold at
which Ecstasy users can be arrested as suppliers, and sets up a process for
rapidly classifying designer drugs.

Health Minister Annette King says it is vital in the face of an emerging
threat from such drugs.

Anyone caught with more than 5g, or 100 flakes, tablets or other forms of
Ecstasy will be presumed to have it for supply and face up to 14 years in
prison.

It will be classified as a Class B drug, despite calls for it to be
classified the same as Class A hard drugs like LSD, heroin and cocaine. The
maximum penalty for supplying a Class A drug is life imprisonment.

New Zealand's first known death from Ecstasy was in 1998, when Ngaire
O'Neill, aged 27, died after voluntarily taking the drug at a Karangahape
Rd nightclub.