Abstract
Over the last decade, New Zealand has led the world in the legal sale and uncontrolled use of the recreational drug benzylpiperazine (BZP), the active ingredient of 'party pills'. One survey found that 40% of 18-29-year-olds admitted to using BZP-based party pills while, in another study, 44% of first-year university students had used the drug. During the period it was legally available for sale, BZP usage in New Zealand far exceeded the usage of any illicit drugs other than cannabis. In 2005 the New Zealand government created legislation intended to regulate the drug, but as potential health risks from BZP consumption became apparent, subsequent legislation was introduced to prohibit the substance. In 2008, the sale and possession of BZP was criminalized, with the result that (a) some users possibly switched to other illegal drugs, and (b) a market developed for alternative party pills that are BZP-free but contain unregulated substances that may themselves pose a health risk. The following review briefly covers the scientific and legal background of benzylpiperazine with particular reference to New Zealand, the country in which it was most popular.