Otago MP Jacqui Dean
Media Release
Wednesday April 12th, 2006

New Study Lends Weight to Dean’s Call for Action

The release of another hospital study highlighting concerns with the toxic dangers of party pills should spur the Government into action, says Otago MP Jacqui Dean.

“How many studies are needed before the Government does something about party pills?

“How many young people will turn up at emergency departments with racing hearts and other side effects while the Government waits for more evidence about the all too obvious dangers of taking party pills,?” she says.

An emergency physician at Waikato Hospital studied 1043 people presenting at the hospital’s emergency department and found up to 30 per cent of 14 to 25-years olds had taken party pills.

The study also found that most had been drinking alcohol and more than one third had taken more than the recommended dose of party pills. Those concerns back issues already raised by Christchurch doctors.

In March Mrs Dean presented a petition to the health select committee seeking changes to the way party pills are advertised and sold.

“Every day there is growing concern from health professionals that supports my call for immediate change.

“While the Government mucks around waiting for more reports, party pills manufacturers and distributors are being bought time to look at other substances with more unknown properties and dangers.

“In effect the Government is helping to normalise New Zealand’s drug culture while people at the coal face of dealing with the results of that trend grow increasingly alarmed at the damage they seeing being inflicted due to the use and misuse of party pills,” she says.

ENDS

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