Drug Foundation submissions and reports
Sale of Liquor (Objections to Applications) Amendment Bill (Submission)
The New Zealand Drug Foundation – Te Tūāpapa Tarukino o Aotearoa welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Sale of Liquor (Objections to Applications) Amendment Bill. Our comments on this bill are influenced by our guiding principles, including a commitment to evidence-based best practice and policy, and harm minimisation. The Drug Foundation has had a very long interest in ways that the Sale of Liquor Act could be strengthened to reduce alcohol-related harm, and to create a healthier drinking culture in New Zealand; a culture of moderation and support for people who choose to not drink alcohol.
Misuse of Drugs (Classification of BZP) Amendment Bill (Submission)
This submission sets out what we believe can reasonably be concluded from current evidence about BZP and its harms, then analyses the potential impacts of the Bill. In developing this submission, we have consulted with a number of people and organisations within the alcohol and drug sector. We have also reviewed research findings on BZP. Our comments are influenced by the Drug Foundation’s guiding principles, including evidence based best practice and policy, and harm minimisation.
Inquiry into New Zealand’s relationships with South Pacific (Submission)
The Drug Foundation is concerned about the widespread harms caused by drugs in New Zealand communities; the biggest harms are being caused by our legal drugs – alcohol and tobacco. Alcohol and tobacco cause serious problems on a global scale.
Reclassification of bzp (Submission)
In 2004 Mr Anderton asked the Expert Advisory Committee on Drugs (EACD) to review recent New Zealand research on benzylpiperazine (BZP), the main ingredient in most party pills. The official EACD report was released by Mr Anderton on 20 December 2006. It recommended BZP be classified as C1 under the Misuse of Drugs Act alongside drugs such as cannabis. It is illegal to possess or sell Class C drugs.
Summary of research on party pills
This paper summarises recent research findings on BZP/party pills, and outlines the current legislative status of BZP. It is being made available to assist organisations or people wanting to make submissions on the proposal to reclassify BZP and its analogues.
Reassessment of methylated spirits (Submission)
The New Zealand Drug Foundation recognises that the use of common household substances for intoxication is a difficult drug taking behaviour to legislate and regulate for.We support the proposal to replace the current methylated spirits sold to the public with another formulation, as outlined in the proposal. The evidence presented in the application clearly outlines the adverse effects and analysis of risks that are associated with the ingestion of methylated spirits including: fire damage to people and/or property; eye damage; visual impairment, or blindness from chronic or acute consumption; damage to reproductive organs; foetal developmental effects and in some cases death. We support any pragmatic and practical measures that help reduce the risks from deliberate consumption of methylated spirits.
Review on advertising regulation (Submission)
The New Zealand Drug Foundation welcomes this review. This review is particularly important as it comes at a time when this country is debating how best to tackle our drinking culture, and regionally and internationally there is increasing concern about the impact of alcohol on communities and the role marketing plays in that.
Smoke-free environments regulations health warnings (Submission)
The New Zealand Drug Foundation welcomes the opportunity to make comment on this the second round of consultation. In general we are pleased that the two options for consultation involve the introduction of graphic warnings, and are more than the minimum required under the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). It has been noted that countries that implement the FCTC label policy at its highest level (i.e. warning labels of a larger size, containing graphic elements) will experience greater impact, compared to the minimum standard.
