PARTY PILL BAN DELAYED

A new law banning party pills containing the chemical BZP has been
delayed - meaning they can be legally sold over the Christmas-New
Year holiday period.

The delay has happened because Parliament has run out of time for the
second reading of the Misuse of Drugs (Classification of BZP) Amendment Bill.

The bill was to become law on December 18, but the second reading of
the bill could now be as far away as late January, the Bay of Plenty
Times has learned.

Associate Health Minister Jim Anderton's press secretary, Liz Grant,
said because the Green Party opposes the bill, it refuses to grant it
urgency in Parliament.

"With the agreement of all parties, legislation can come before the
House under urgency but if there isn't that agreement, certain
legislation can be blocked," said Mrs Grant.

Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen has announced the time taken up
by the discussion surrounding the Electoral Finance Bill has meant
there was a possibility Parliament may sit as late as Tuesday next week.

The party bill law (which bans the supply, manufacture and exporting
of party pills containing BZP and makes it a Class C1 drug) has
enough support in Parliament to be passed, despite the opposition
from the Greens.

The new law will carry a penalty of up to eight years' jail. Those
found simply in possession of a Class C1 drug are normally liable to
a maximum of three months imprisonment and/or up to a $500 fine.

But because pills containing BZP have been legally available for some
years, the bill includes provision for an amnesty for possession of
less than five grams for personal use. The amnesty will expire on
June 17, 2008.

Tauranga party pill manufacturer Gary Read is obviously supportive of
the delay but refused to comment on whether he had sold the 950,000
he claimed in July his company NZ Party Pills had recently manufactured.

Mr Read said he made a submission to the Select Committee opposing
the bill. He claimed there were 52 submissions made in support of the
bill and 12 against.

Mr Read said he was not currently manufacturing party pills but could
do so again at short notice.

Mr Read is still supplying party pills to 270 retailers mostly in the
North Island, 14 of which are in Tauranga, from existing stocks.

He said people were increasingly stock-piling the pills.

"We get that with the summer period anyway," he said.

NZ Party Pills also sells non-BZP party pills.

Tauranga retailer Aristocrat Adult Shop _ which sells between 20 and
30 types of party pills _ has cut back on its range since news of the
ban broke but was pleased to hear sales could temporarily continue.

"It will be good, they'll (customers) probably just keep on buying
them as they normally do, all the regulars will anyway," a staff member said.

With the proposed December 18 ban looming, a sign encouraging
customers to take advantage of clearance prices on party pills hangs
in the window of Mount Maunganui adult store Erox.

Store manager Trevor Gilmour was thrilled by the news sales could
continue throughout the holidays.