BAN ON PARTY PILLS TAKES FIRST STEP

The bill to ban BZP, the active ingredient in party pills, passed its
first reading in Parliament last night.

It has now been sent to a select committee for public
submissions.

The minister in charge of drug policy Jim Anderton said there was
clear evidence that the risks posed by party pills were sufficient to
ban them.

"This Parliament should vote in favour of classifying these
psychoactive substances because there is a potential for serious side
effects and even fatalities associated with their use," he said.

The Government announced its intention to ban BZP earlier this year,
and introduced the bill several weeks ago.

Only the Greens and ACT voted against it on its first
reading.

Green Party MP Nandor Tanczos said banning BZP would boost the illegal
drug market.

He said when pills were on the black market people would still be
taking them and there would be no control at all over what was in them.