Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail)
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I raise this issue on the Adjournment of the House tonight in an effort to highlight the fact that the drug BZP, commonly known as "the party pill", is being openly sold in shops throughout the country. These shops offer a range of products conducive to the use of illegal drugs and legal but unsafe drugs. Most notably they offer the drug known as BZP, or the party pill, which is a recreational drug with euphoric, stimulant properties. There have been many dangerous adverse effects reported following its use, including acute psychosis, renal toxicity and seizures.

BZP is also known as "Legal E". It is a synthetic stimulant drug with the chemical name benzylpiperazine. It was originally used as a worming treatment for animals. BZP is banned in some countries, including the USA and parts of Australia. A 50-200 mg dose of BZP can lead to a sense of increased alertness, while the sense of taste, sound and colour may be enhanced. Such effects can last between four to eight hours, depending on the amount taken, the user's mood, metabolism and environment. Users report an inability to sleep for as long as ten hours after the effects have subsided. BZP can leave users with symptoms similar to a hangover, such as headache, fatigue, reduced appetite and nausea. There is also a possibility of slight memory loss. Tolerance to the substance develops, which means the user increasingly needs more to get the same effect. Medical experts have warned that taking BZP can over-stimulate the brain, causing anxiety and convulsions in some cases.

In the UK, any product containing piperazine — a component of BZP — must be classified as a prescription-only medicine. This is a dangerous drug, and is freely available to and targeted at young people, who are the most vulnerable and impressionable people in our communities.

An EU decision this year placed BZP under control measures and criminal provisions across the member states. This decision was based on the findings of a formal risk assessment report on BZP produced in 2007 by the scientific committee of the EU drugs agency, the EMCDDA, with participation of additional experts from the European Commission, Europol and the European Medicines Agency, or EMEA. The Council decision states that, "due to its stimulant properties, risk to health, the lack of medical benefits and following the precautionary principle, there is a need to control BZP." Eight EU member states, namely, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Malta and Sweden, already control BZP under drug control or equivalent legislation, while two other states, Spain and the Netherlands, regulated it under their medicine-related legislation.

I understand from my colleague, Councillor Patricia Walsh, that a shop similar to the head shop in the chain is due to open in Cavan town in a matter of days. I further understand that this shop will be selling items such as those advertised on the website of the head shop. The company website advertises pipes and bongs, vaporisers, scales, grinders and room odourisers. Why would one need these? It advertises legal highs and herbal highs, and products such as "Berry Mashed", and asks the user to "have a blissfully stoned night". Another product is "Diablo XXX", which is described as being "by far the strongest pill" and it contains 500 mg of BZP.

Another product is "E-Blast" and is described as follows:

Like a lightning bolt of pure energy straight to your brain, E-Blast pills are guaranteed to make your jaw clench, your hair stand on end and your feet to want to hit the dance floor. Take that feeling you get when the moon is full, you're looking good and feeling good and out for a night of carnage, you know, the kind of night where colours seem brighter, music sounds better and you feel unstoppable.

That does not sound like a harmless pill. This is not acceptable to me or to the people and parents of Cavan. It is not acceptable that such shops are all over this country. It is not acceptable that these pills are freely available to young people. I urge the Minister to bring forward, as a matter of urgency, legislation to ban BZP and other such products on sale in these so-called herbal outlets.

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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I will take this Adjournment matter on behalf of the Minister for Health and Children and I would like to thank the Senator for raising it.

The Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 and regulations made thereunder regulate and control the import, export, production, supply and possession of a range of named narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances listed in the Schedules to the Act. Substances are scheduled under the Act in accordance with Ireland's obligations under international conventions, or where there is evidence that the substances are causing significant harm to public health in Ireland. The list of scheduled substances is kept under review. In particular, the Department of Health and Children reviews any evidence that substances are being abused and are causing significant harm to public health.

BZP is an example of a substance not currently scheduled under the Misuse of Drugs Act and its subsequent regulations. This means that possession of BZP and its sale in so-called head shops around the country are not illegal. BZP is a synthetic psychotropic substance which may be sold as ecstasy under the street name of 'Legal E', 'Legal X' 'XTC', 'A2', 'piperazine' or 'party pills'. Following a risk assessment of BZP carried out at EU level by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, the Council of Ministers decided on 3 March 2008 to introduce formal regulation of BZP in accordance with the 1971 UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances.

The Council decision noted that while the risk assessment report on BZP revealed a lack of conclusive scientific evidence on the overall risks of the drug, it would be safer to effect controls on the substance, due to its stimulant properties, risk to health, the lack of medical benefits and following the precautionary principle. The control of BZP may also help to avoid problems in international law enforcement and judicial co-operation. However, while there is a need to control BZP, the control measures introduced should be appropriate to the relatively low risks of the substance.

Member states must act as soon as possible, but no later than one year from the date of the Council decision, to introduce control measures and criminal sanctions. For Ireland, the introduction of national measures will involve declaring BZP to be a controlled substance under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 and adding it to the list of controlled substances in accordance with the Schedule of that Act. This will make the possession and sale of BZP illegal. The Department of Health and Children is awaiting legal advice on the drafting of the legislation necessary to introduce control measures here, but it expects to have the legislation in place before the deadline of March 2009.

Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I welcome the fact that legislation is to be enacted that will make the possession and sale of BZP illegal. It is an addictive substance that is harmful to everybody who uses it, especially young people. I ask the Minister of State to urge the Minister for Health and Children to introduce the legislation to ban the sale of this pill, BZP, as soon as possible because these shops are opening weekly throughout the country. This pill is addictive and once somebody becomes addicted to something it is very difficult to stop them using it, irrespective of whether its sale is banned. Before the end of this year, legislation should be brought forward to outlaw the sale of this dangerous drug. I understand from Senator Keaveney that this pill has caused major problems in New Zealand, where it is banned. Before it was made illegal, much harm was caused by side effects attributed to its use. The relevant legislation should be introduced before the end of the year.

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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I will convey the Senator's comments to the Minister for Health and Children.

Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State.