Bill to ban BZP given first reading

The bill to ban BZP, the active ingredient in party pills, passed its first reading in Parliament tonight and has been sent to a select committee for public submissions.

The minister in charge of drug policy, Jim Anderton, said there was clear evidence that the risks posed by party pills were sufficient to ban them.

"This Parliament should vote in favour of classifying these psychoactive substances because there is a potential for serious side effects and even fatalities associated with their use," he said.

The Government announced its intention to ban BZP earlier this year, and introduced the bill several weeks ago.

Only the Greens and the Maori Party voted against it on its first reading.

Green Party MP Nandor Tanczos said banning BZP would boost the illegal drug market.

He said when pills were on the black market people would still be taking them and there would be no control at all over what was in them.