Consumers do not get a say in the Government’s party pill ban proposal, according to an industry importer and advocate of the recreational substance.

The proposal to reclassify BZP (the main ingredient in party pills) as a Class C drug has been put forward by Associate Minister of Health Jim Anderton.

Social Tonic Association of New Zealand (STANZ) chairman Matt Bowden claims the Select Health Committee’s review of the proposal is an unjust process, which fails to consider consumers’ interests.

“I don’t think we can trust one minister to make that decision and [I] wonder why consumers and the public are being kept in the dark,” says Mr Bowden.

Bowden claims the Select Health Committee process does not engage in public consultation. “The key stakeholder group is the public, who need to be consulted, this should be open to the nearly half million voting aged adults who already made their feeling known by buying and consuming the product,” says Mr Bowden.

The Misuse of Drugs Amendment Act was established to allow potentially dangerous new drugs to be classified and controlled quickly. This process is needed as these drugs are brought into New Zealand before laws are introduced to prevent people using them.

The Associate Minister of Health has granted an extension until March 23 for submissions to the Select Health Committee on the reclassification of BZP. However, this is only an invitation for submissions from manufacturers, retailers, researchers and key stakeholders.

Mr Bowden maintains the process is being rushed and that this will result in an unfair review of a consumer product. “To be frank this affirmative resolution process was designed for new emerging threats that come along suddenly... this is not a new emerging threat,” he says.

Mr Bowden believes making BZP illegal is unlikely to result in consumer safety as it will no longer be legal to manufacture party pills in a controlled environment.

“When you take something with a high consumer demand and you make it illegal, you just create a black market and the environment becomes more dangerous,” says Mr Bowden.

However, Jim Anderton’s proposal is based on research from the Expert Advisory Committee on Drugs, which claims that BZP poses a moderate health risk to consumers.

Stuart Anderson of the Higher Ground Rehabilitation Trust, which assists young people in overcoming addictions, says that, “The short and long-term effects of BZP use are still predominantly unknown”.

Japan, Denmark, Greece, Sweden and Australia have criminalised party pills containing BZP by classifying them as a Class C drug, like marijuana. New South Wales classifies BZP as a Class A drug like heroin or cocaine.

But demand may not disappear if New Zealand follows suit. “Many consumers will look to the black market to satisfy their desire”, says Nicolaus Moon editor of Infusion Magazine, which covers and promotes dance parties.

An anonymous Party pill user said, “I feel it’s unfair that I have not been consulted with as a consumer, you can’t just take my right to choose away.”