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WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND - NEW Zealand legislators voted on Thursday to ban so-called 'party pills' which have been popular with night clubbers and young party-goers.
The pills contain the stimulant benzylpiperazine (BZP) and are widely sold in specialist party pill stores, liquor outlets and some corner grocery shops.
New Zealand's parliament voted by 109 votes to 11 to make party pills illegal, giving them the same C-class classification as marijuana.
Penalties for possession include up to three months in prison while suppliers could be jailed for up to eight years.
While it will be illegal to sell the pills from next month, personal use will still be allowed for the next six months.
Associate Health Minister Damien O'Connor told parliament an expert advisory committee had found BZP posed a moderate risk of harm to users.
'I believe that party pills will virtually disappear from New Zealand following the enactment of this bill,' Mr O'Connor said.
One of the dissenting legislators, Hone Harawira described the bill's sponsor, associate health minister Jim Anderton as a 'kill-joy', adding it was ridiculous to ban the pills when tobacco and alcohol remained legal.
Party pills have similar effects to amphetamines but are less potent.
Mr Anderton said when introducing the legislation last year that studies in New Zealand confirmed the ill effects of party pills could include insomnia, headaches, nausea and anxiety.
Some people had reported seizures.
New Zealand's Massey University found one in five people between the ages of 13 and 45 had tried party pills at least once.
BZP and related drugs are banned in a number of countries, including the US, Australia, Japan, Denmark, Belgium, Greece and Malta. -- AFP
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