What they are

Benzylpiperazine (BZP) party pills are psychoactive substances that have been on the recreational drug scene since around 2000.

Until 2008, party pills were primarily based on two ingredients, BZP (benzylpiperazine) and TFMPP (triflouro-methyl-phenylpiperazine), combined with other chemicals such as piper nigrum, phenylalanine, tryptophan and tyrosine. However, from 1 April 2008, BZP became a Class C1 controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act. This makes it illegal to make, sell, import, export, possess or use this drug.

BZP party pills were designed to mimic the effects of illegal drugs such as methamphetamine (speed, P), MDMA (ecstasy) and LSD.

New generation legal party pills

Since BZP became a controlled drug in 2008, new BZP-free party pills that claim to have similar effects have been sold by party pill retailers. The most common ingredients in new BZP-free party pills are caffeine, citrus aurantium and geranamine (geranium extract). These new party pills are said to have less intense effects than the original BZP party pills.

As with any psychoactive substance, it is recommended that users tell the people they are with if they take party pills. If something goes wrong it is very important that users’ friends know how to help, and can tell others (such as medics) what has been taken.

Psychoactive drugs should not be used while pregnant or breastfeeding.

Slang

Legal highs, Herbals, Herbal highs

The rest of this section will refer to illegal BZP party pills.