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A ban on benzylpiperazine (BZP)-based party pills is likely to make way for the introduction of a new range of pills with a different formula.
Parliament this week voted 109-11 to pass a bill classifying BZP, the main ingredient in nearly all party pills, as a class C drug - the same as cannabis.
Shops selling the pills have until April 1 to clear their stock and there will be a six month amnesty for those using the pills.
A Christchurch company said it had designed and manufactured a range of "new and exciting" pills that did not contain BZP.
"Our new range is 100 per cent satisfaction guaranteed and surprisingly in many instances a much stronger formula than BZP based products," the company's website said.
Those pills were expected to be available for distribution soon.
Sales of the remaining BZP-based pills are expected to be frantic as retailers get rid of the stock and users stock up.
Meanwhile, The Southland Times reported today that three Invercargill men are out of a job following the law change.
Pills made up between 60 and 80 per cent of income at Jordy's in Don St and the change meant it was not viable to stay open, staff members said.
A representative at another local shop stocking party pills said it would continue to trade, selling other novelty items, but would switch to the new range of pills once old stock was outlawed.
- NZPA
