MP UNDER FIRE OVER 'LEGAL HIGH' DRUGS

Ecstasy and speed substitutes sold by a store part-owned by Green MP Nandor
Tanczos are being investigated by health officials concerned about their
potentially damaging effects.

The "legal highs", exodus and frenzy, are sold in capsule form in the Hemp
Store in Auckland, which Tanczos partly owns and of which he is a director.

The active ingredients in exodus are the chemicals BZP (Benzylpiperazine)
and TFMPP (Trifluoromethylphenylpiperazine), and frenzy contains BZP. This
month the Drug Enforcement Administration in the United States emergency
scheduled BZP and TFMPP under the Controlled Substances Act "to avoid an
imminent hazard to public safety".

This has sparked grave concern at the Ministry of Health and Graeme
Gillespie, manager of public health programmes, including national drug
policy, confirmed an investigation was under way.

"We are investigating both these substances," he said. "The decision of the
DEA in the US has heightened our awareness of the potential problems
associated with BZP and TFMPP."

Les Maxwell, an intelligence analyst with our national drug intelligence
bureau, said an alert had been raised over the legal highs.

"We are aware that there's a problem and they have been highlighted to the
expert advisory committee on drugs.

"They will have to look at these two substances and steps are being taken
to get them considered for classification."

Other capsules on offer in Tanczos' store include B4E and after E -
designed to be taken before and after ecstasy - and 5HT+, which is taken to
"maximise the intensity of E".

Exodus, sometimes referred to as "legal E", is marketed as a substitute for
ecstasy, which contains MDMA. Frenzy is sold as a speed replacement.

The DEA has linked tablets and capsules, known as piperazines, containing
BZP and TFMPP to "club drugs", including ecstasy pills.

Last year, a young woman died in Zurich, Switzerland. Her death was
attributed to the combined use of BZP and ecstasy.

"As with amphetamine and MDMA, the effects of BZP are stimulant-like and
those of TFMPP are hallucinogenic," said a DEA spokesman. "In high doses
the piperazines produce hallucinations, convulsions and respiratory
depression."

Tanczos said he did not know about the steps taken by the DEA. "I wasn't
aware of this and I don't know what is in these products - as far as I know
they are approved to sell in this country.

"But of course we will comply with the law of the Ministry of Health if
they take action." He added that the capsules were for adults only.

But the MP's sale of the substances was last night fiercely attacked by
public figures.

"It's untenable for a member of parliament to be associated with these
things, whether they are technically illegal doesn't really matter," said
National leader Bill English.

"For someone who is in a position of responsibility, like he is, to be in
one way or other linked with the drug-taking culture is totally unacceptable."

Act leader Richard Prebble said Tanczos and his party were sending out
dangerous mixed messages about drugs.

"I'm concerned about an MP owning a shop selling toxins that are designed
to be used with illegal drugs and it's not credible to claim that they
enable people to use drugs like ecstasy sensibly," he said.

And Police Association president Greg O'Connor said Tanczos was being
"legally adventurous" selling the capsules.

"One would imagine that a responsible MP would want to completely
disassociate himself from products that are trying to break through the
spirit of the legislation that tries to control what is fed to our kids,"
he said

But Jeanette Fitzsimons, co-leader of the Green Party, defended her colleague.

"These substances are legal at the moment and if the Ministry of Health
decides to ban them I'm quite sure the Hemp Store will stop selling them,"
she said.

Exodus and frenzy are manufactured by Stargate International, based in
Auckland. A tube of four capsules - two doses - costs $40.

Shoppers buying these products at the Hemp Store are advised by the
assistant not to take them more than an hour after food and not to have
more than two alcoholic drinks after consuming them, or they could get sick.

As well as being sold in the Hemp Store, the capsules are available across
the country in shops such as the Switched On Gardener chain and various
bars. They are also available on the Internet and via a Stargate phoneline.