Does the National Party want to sell party pills to ten-year-olds?

The National Party's contribution to the Parliamentary debate on the Misuse of Drugs Amendment No. 3 Bill this morning was chilling because it shows a National-led government would take a totally relaxed approach to needed regulations on the supply of party pills to children, says Progressive leader Jim Anderton.

"The National Party in government for nine long years implemented its hands-off social theories in the name of its liberal ideology which in reality was just an excuse of an ideology of inaction on drugs.

"What is clear after this morning's Parliamentary debate is that National has learnt nothing after having six long years in Opposition to do some research and mend its ways," the Progressive leader said.

During the Committee Stage debate on Jim Anderton's Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill No. 3 this morning, senior National M.P.s ridiculed the government's efforts to restrict the sales of BZP party pills to those eighteen years or older and accused the Labour-Progressive government of "knee jerk" or hurried policies designed to satisfy public opinion.

"This coalition government, supported by responsible Opposition parties unlike National and ACT, listens to, and then acts on, parents' legitimate demand to ban the sale of drugs like BZP being sold to ten year olds," Jim Anderton said.

The Misuse of Drugs Amendment No. 3 Bill updates New Zealand laws relating to the prevention of drug abuse and makes it more responsive to changes in illicit drug trends in New Zealand including adding a new "restricted substances" part to the legislation and regulations for BZP ? so-called party pills - as a restricted substance.

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