Industry to launch regulatory framework

9 February 2007

Industry to launch regulatory framework for party pills

The Social Tonics Association of New Zealand, representing 80 per cent of the party pill industry, will launch this Sunday a manufacturing code and a comprehensive set of draft regulations governing the sale and safe use of BZP related substances.

The launch will be by press statement on Sunday morning when the documents will be posted on to the STANZ website: www.stanz.org.nz

“We hope that it will demonstrate to the Government how effective regulation can be, and how easily achieved,” said STANZ Chairman Matt Bowden today.

The regulatory framework, commissioned by STANZ from Public Law specialists, Chen Palmer, is designed to fit the existing legislation: the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Act 2005.

“The only restrictions imposed now are an R18 age limit and a ban on advertising in the mainstream media. But there is provision in the Act for the Government to put tight controls on such matters as packaging, quality standards, dosages, points of sale and labelling.

“We have been pushing the Government since the Act was passed to use these powers – but without success. Now things have become much more urgent as Jim Anderton seems determined to ban BZP outright; a decision which, once made, will be hard to rectify and which will endanger the public health.

“Prohibition doesn’t work because you can’t legalise a market out of existence. You can only push it underground, into the hands of the gangs and toward heavier use of alcohol and of much harder and more dangerous drugs like P.

“More than 26 million party pills have been sold in New Zealand since 2000, the very large proportion of them repeat purchases. This demonstrates that there is strong demand for legal access to these products and that, for the great majority of users, they provide a safe and pleasurable experience,” Mr Bowden said.

“Regulations of the kind STANZ is promoting will make them safer still.”

ENDS

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