'Social Tonics' industry lobby group need to get with the real world

Lobbyists for party pill manufacturers need to get real about the dangerous of prolonged consumption of BZP and other-related drags, according to Daniel Newman.

Mr Newman, who along with Angela Dalton led the successful challenge against the right of Roscommon Liquor to sell or supply party pills, said the Social Tonics Association of New Zealand were out of step with public opinion and scientific research every time it criticised moves to outlaw benzylpiperazine (BZP), phenylpiperazine, and related substances.

"The Social Tonics Association of New Zealand is an industry lobby group that appears to exist for the purpose of arguing for the legal right of manufacturers of party pills to supply and sell those substances.

I can appreciate that such a group would be worried by the Misuse of Drugs (Classification of BZP) Amendment Bill. But frankly it's high time that industry lobby group accepted that fact that it's free ride is coming to an end. The party pills need to be outlawed immediately.

"As Mr Bowden well knows, Parliament is not leading the effort to ban party pills. The community is. That is why the people of Manurewa and Clendon successfully challenged the right of a liquor retailer to supply and sell party pills.

At the end of the day, Mr Bowden and his industry friends can beat their chests and rally against Parliament all they want, but it is in the community where public opinion is lining up on the side of the suppliers of party pills.

"If the Social Tonics Association of New Zealand is truly interested in listening to public opinion, perhaps it should start by talking to the New Zealanders who succeeded in challenging the right of Roscommon Liquor to sell or supply party pills," Daniel Newman said.

In order to provide the Social Tonics Association of New Zealand with a public platform to explain why party pills should be legally supplied or sold in New Zealand, Mr Newman would welcome the opportunity to debate Mr Bowden at a mutually agreed public venue in Manurewa.

Such a venue would provide a forum for a debate that allows members of the public to listen to the pros and cons of the argument prior to the Health Select Committee hearing submissions on the Misuse of Drugs (Classification of BZP) Amendment Bill.

ENDS

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