SHOCK STUDY SHOWS PARTY PILL PERIL

Party pills are as addictive as P and magnify the frightening effects
of methamphetamine.

Those are the shock early findings of university and Environmental
Science and Research studies into the health effects of BZP, the
active ingredient in most party pills.

On Thursday the Government announced it would ban the pills by the end
of the year.

BZP will be classified as a class C1 drug, the same as
cannabis.

Associate health minister Jim Anderton, who is spearheading the ban,
said: "Once you are told by clinical experts that what is being sold
virtually at the corner dairy could kill people...

If you don't take action, and a 14-year-old or a 16-year-old or an
18-year-old dies in hospital from taking BZP, what do you think the
headlines will be about government inaction?"

And last night, top New Zealand scientist Dr Paul Fitzmaurice told
Sunday News how BZP had frighteningly similar qualities to the highly
addictive methamphetamine drug P.

The leading Environmental Science and Research (ESR) neurotoxicologist
said a series of preliminary tests at the University of Auckland, ESR
and Victoria University had produced alarming results.

The tests showed BZP party pills:

Get users hooked through the same brainwave patterns as highly
addictive drugs including speed (P) and cocaine.

Enhance the euphoric effect of P.

Carry an overdose risk.

Scientists conducted a series of tests on lab rats - administering
controlled doses of BZP and studying the effect on the brain.

"What we can say from our animal tests is that these drugs do mimic
other drugs ... that are known to be very addictive," he said.

The rats were also given doses of methamphetamine.

"The tests show that if you were given methamphetamine after being on
BZP for several days, you'd end up with a much greater effect from the
methamphetamine," he said.

Scientists are following up their preliminary animal tests by studying
the effects on humans.

Fitzmaurice said another study had shown a severe risk of
overdose.

"What our preliminary data says is that it is taking two or three
hours for an average dose of 200 milligrams to reach its maximum
concentration in the body," he said. "The more you take, it takes
longer to react.

"People who think they can take four or five tablets and get a much
quicker response actually don't.

"It actually takes longer for the drug to reach its maximum effect and
once it does they find they've taken too many tablets."