BZP-party pills: a review of research on benzylpiperazine as a recreational drug.
BACKGROUND
BZP-party pills are yet another 'designer drug' which mimics the stimulant qualities of amphetamines and MDMA/Ecstasy. As legal markets for the substance have developed in the last decade (especially amongst young people) so has public and governmental concern.


METHODS
This article provides a summary of the available international research on benzylpiperazine (BZP) and its popular use in the compound form known as 'party pills'. Through performing an analysis of the available medical and social scientific literature, the review outlines current knowledge on the compound, the prevalence of usage of BZP-party pills, as well as the associated harms, risks and rationales for use of the drug.


RESULTS
Despite moves towards legislative control of BZP-party pills, the evidence presented suggests limited social and health harms associated with the drug, although research on long term effects is a significant gap in the literature. It also remains inconclusive as to whether BZP-party pills act as a 'gateway' to illegal drugs or, conversely, play a role in harm reduction with illegal drug users turning to legal alternatives; there is some evidence for both positions.


CONCLUSIONS
With increasing controls of BZP-party pills, and with the increasing numbers of 'legal highs' and new designer drugs on the market, we conclude that new legal alternatives will continue to surface to replace the drug in the future. Considering a harm reduction approach to drug taking, it is suggested that policy makers consider the creation of a legal holding category which restricts and regulates the market in legal highs whilst the social and health harms associated with each drug can be thoroughly investigated.
Department of Sociology, University of Auckland, Human Sciences Building, Room 920, 10 Symonds Street, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand. b.cohen@auckland.ac.nz
Bruce M Z
BM
Cohen
Rachael
R
Butler
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003132:Commerce; D003415:Crime; D015198:Designer Drugs / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000191:economics; D004335:Drug and Narcotic Control; D005260:Female; D040261:Harm Reduction; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D008297:Male; D010879:Piperazines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000191:economics; D018570:Risk Assessment; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013607:Tablets; D055815:Young Adult
D015198:Designer Drugs; D013287:Illicit Drugs; C461488:N-benzylpiperazine; D010879:Piperazines; D013607:Tablets