POLICE WARN PILL POPPERS

The case of a teenager arrested for driving after popping 40 party
pills has highlighted the risk of mixing cars with legal party drugs.

Daniel Stronach, 17, was convicted in a Queenstown court this week for
driving under the influence of drugs after he admitted smoking
cannabis and taking pills. Other drivers had reported he was weaving
all over the road. He will be sentenced next month.

Whangarei drug educator Nadine Campbell, of the Life Education Trust,
said "sober drivers" were increasingly using party pills to keep their
energy levels up while their mates drank alcohol.

"They all have a great time, but we have huge concerns. All drugs are
mind-altering, and an altered state will affect driving."

Drugs like BZP that seemed to boost energy worked by blocking messages
to the brain - "messages like, 'I'm hungry, I'm thirsty, I'm tired',"
she said.

"Their minds are being fooled. They might be feeling more alert, but
their body's still taking longer to react. It's like all drugs - some
say they're more alert after using marijuana, but research just
doesn't back that up."

Ross Vickers, who chairs the trust and owns Whangarei nightclub Danger
Danger, said up to half the 18 to 21-year-olds out on the town each
weekend were using party pills, which his club stopped selling last
month.

"When we started, I thought they were just a tablet version of Red
Bull. Since then I've found out they're way more powerful. We've
washed our hands of them until we can be better informed about what's
in them, and what the medical implications are."

High tax on alcohol made party pills a cheap option for young people.
"The danger is that no one knows what the heck we're dealing with," he
said.

A Whangarei retailer of the legal highs, Cactus Liquor manager Zoe
Baird, said it was a matter of "knowing what you're sticking in your
mouth". It was important to distinguish between energy pills, which
boosted alertness, and party pills, which could mimic illegal drugs.
Ms Baird said she would get in a car with someone who'd had the
recommended dose of energy pills, but not when it came to party pills.
But with a plethora of blends, brands and labels on sale, it could be
hard to tell which was which.

Police say the law is clear - it's an offence to drive under the
influence of drugs, including solvents, party pills or illegal drugs
such as cannabis or P. With drugs police only needed to prove a person
was incapable of driving.

Whangarei acting Senior Sergeant Chris Goodall said, "Our line would
be the same with party pills as for alcohol - if you take them, don't
drive."

[sidebar]

* BZP FACTS . The active ingredient in most party pills,
benzylpiperazine (BZP), is a legal class-D stimulant that can be sold
to over-18s. . BZP is banned in the United States and is a "controlled
substance" in Australia. . Short-term effects include euphoria,
increased alertness, muscle aches, agitation and hypertension. .
Exceeding the average dose (about 100mg BZP) can lead to dehydration,
nausea or worse.

* FOR SAFE USE OF BZP . Keep up fluids, such as water or orange juice.
. Don't mix with alcohol, other drugs or medication. . Start with a
low dose, never exceed the recommended maximum. If one pill feels
good, that doesn't mean two will feel better. . Be patient - effects
can take a while to come on. . Avoid BZP if you're pregnant,
breastfeeding or have a medical condition such as a heart disorder,
mental illness or are prone to seizures. . Don't do BZP and drive.