PARTY OVER FOR PILLS

BANNING party pills could create more problems than it solves, users
and retailers say.

Party pills will be banned by the end of the year but some are
already warning the ban will only start a black market and not stop
people popping the pills.

Associate Health Minister Jim Anderton announced on Thursday that
benzylpiperazine (BZP) and related party pills, also known as herbal
highs, will be classified as a Class C1 drug.

Mr Anderton hoped that bill would be passed into law by the end of this year.

Donna, who didn't want her last name used, owns Stardust Creations in
Victoria Ave that sells several different brands of party pills.

She also owns three other outlets in other parts of the country.

Donna told the Wanganui Chronicle yesterday she wasn't surprised by
the government move.

"We had been expecting it. They've been saying it for about two years
but I thought they'd make it an election issue."

"I don't take them, so it won't affect me much. They have died off a
bit and I'm getting sick of them really, with all the bad publicity."

She didn't want to say how many pills were sold but it had dropped
off significantly since they first come on to the market.

"I'm sick of it as a retailer. There are always new ones [coming out]
and so many companies selling them," she said.

Donna thought the companies that manufactured party pills would
quickly come up with an alternative to beat the law change.

"It will be interesting to see what they come up with."

New caffeine-based pills had already been released but Donna didn't
think they would be popular.

She thought some of the problems associated with the pills had been
because they were able to be sold in dairies and liquor stores.

"They aren't to be taken with alcohol so shouldn't be sold with
them." While mainly young people brought the pills, Donna said an
84-year-old used to buy "mild" ones to help her with the vacuuming.

"Other people use them for weight loss."

Retailers from specific party pill stores and some pill manufacturers
were reported yesterday saying the ban would only mean new, more
potent. One Wanganui woman said she didn't see a problem with party pills.

"A lot of young people use them & it's just as bad as alcohol and
getting drunk," she said. In fact, drinking was worse, she said.

Nineteen-year-old Dion Sekone was undecided. "I don't do it, but I've
got friends that do."

Luke, 23, said the Government seemed bent on spoiling everyone's fun.

"There are far worse things out there. It seems like everything the
Government doesn't like suddenly gets banned & whatever happened to
people being responsible for themselves?"

However another group of people in their twenties said there were
"definite" risks involved.

"Everyone knows there are risks, but until a whole heap of people die
or get sick I don't think the majority of people will pay much
attention to the warnings," one man, who wouldn't be named, said.

Another woman said people would still take them but more covertly like ecstasy.

"If you follow how to take them you will be all good people are just
silly buggers and ruin it for everyone else."

Another woman said she spent most weekends surrounded by "party
pill-popping, jaw-clenching peers".

"Before party pills were available at nearly every dairy, people
would have opted for ecstasy. Now they opt for party pills because
they are cheaper, legal and easy to find."

She said removing a product in high demand could create a black market.

Thirty-year-old Kurt said there needed to be more education in
schools about drugs and an examination of why people wanted to take drugs.

Others welcomed the move, saying it was "about time".

A mother of teenage children told the Chronicle, party pills created
an impression of being the "safe alternative" to drugs like ecstasy.

"It isn't the case at all. They're terrible things that just can't be
good for your body."