New Zealand - DMAA Govt moves to restrict party pill drug

[chillinwill]

Party pills restrictions just too late

Anti-drug campaigners are welcoming yesterday's announcement of new restrictions on the sale of legal party pills, but say the Government should have acted at least a year ago.

Drug Foundation president Ross Bell said he was pleased dimethylamylamine (DMAA) was being classified as restricted under the Misuse of Drugs Act but said the move had "taken far too long".

"We knew that as soon as BZP was banned the industry would have an alternative ready to go on the market," said Bell.

"And that's what happened the day after the ban. These DMAA products hit the market and there was absolutely no controls over them.

"I understand why health officials have to follow the process, but it's our view it could have been done a lot quicker."

The Ministry of Health advised the Government's advisory committee on drugs to restrict DMAA late last year.

That followed a voluntary recall of DMAA products in powder form after four Waikato users were admitted to hospital suffering serious side effects. The products remained on sale in pill form.

DMAA is a stimulant derived from geranium plant oil and usually mixed with caffeine to make party pills. It is said to give the user an adrenalin rush, and hit the shelves after BZP-based substances were banned in April last year.

At the start of this year, the industry estimated about 100,000 DMAA-based pills had been sold since the BZP ban.

Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne has also indicated the Government will restrict the sale of DMAA to capsule and tablet form and that there will be strict labelling and packaging requirements. He was confident the new measures would be in place by early next year and that the industry would comply.

But Bell is concerned the party pill industry will have a new product ready to get around the latest restrictions.

Matt Bowden of party pill developer Stargate International dismissed Bell's concerns as "wild conjecture".

Bowden welcomed the regulation of DMAA and said he would work with the Government to develop a maximum dose per tablet.

By Alice Neville
November 8, 2009
New Zealand Herald
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ar...ectid=10607966

[starboy]

(here is my press release that the papers all chopped up and edited)





New Party Pill Set To Rock.


Release: Matt Bowden, Social Tonics Association
Date: Saturday 7th November 2009

Well known drug policy activist and rock musician Matt Bowden said that Associate Minister of Health Peter Dunne’s announcement to schedule natural energy pill ingredient DMAA as a Restricted Substance under the Misuse of Drugs Act was “welcome news.”

“I developed these products and put them on the market over 18 months ago now to replace BZP and they have proven to be a safer alternative to alcohol, methamphetamine and the other drugs, the experts have recognised this and advised against making them illegal, instead placing regulations around them to make them safer, which is a win for industry, for consumers and for public safety.”

“Peter Dunne has shown wisdom in listening to his experts this week, tight regulation gives society controls over the consumer market. The other option of banning would have handed control of the market to organised crime.” Mr Bowden identified a trend in scientific advisories the world over in recognising the failure of the so called “war on drugs” model and advising alternative, evidence based regulatory models.

“Banning consumer drugs empowers a black market; conversely blanket legalisation of drugs would also be problematic, so the third option of tight regulation means a safer market for consumers, not a black market. It is the safest option.”

The Restricted Substances category of the Misuse of Drugs Act allows for controls over how recreational consumer energy products like DMAA are manufactured, labelled, advertised and controls around dosage limits. Mr Bowden urged the Minister to prioritise dosage limits for DMAA.

“What happened with BZP was that it was reasonably safe when taken as directed, but the last Minister never put dosage limits in place, and so a competitive industry suffered from dosage escalation problems and some people got sick. This time around we want to see dosage limits in place swiftly to stop that from happening. Let’s make the regulations work this time to keep consumers even safer. That would totally rock.”

Mr Bowden said that local industry had suffered with the banning of BZP but it was encouraging to see scientists developing safer partying technology. “Let’s face it, alcohol is one of the most dangerous drugs out there to socialise with, so any improvements in recreational technology should be welcomed by all.” He commented that it was still a risky industry to be in. “Personally, I am focusing on producing progressive rock music to express my views these days, it is a long time since governments banned songs.”

Matt’s progressive rock album is due for release in February 2010 and free samples can be downloaded from ...


and then a link to my website url - matt bowden with dot com on the end, hope that is ok with rules.