Party-pill poppers at risk, says emergency department doctor

A study of the use of herbal party pills shows a worrying trend among people aged 14 to 25, according to the author.

The study by Dr Tonia Nicholson, an emergency doctor in the emergency department at Waikato Hospital, showed that of the 1043 people admitted to the emergency department 125 had taken herbal party pills.

"These people are at risk for toxicity from the pills because there is a tendency for them not to read the instructions before ingestion, to take more pills than recommended and to drink alcohol at the same time," she said.

Emergency doctors needed to be aware of the use and potential adverse effects.

Dr Nicholson said she found the use was most prevalent in those aged 14 to 25 years - 30 per cent of the study group.

Fifty-six per cent had taken pills between two and five times.

Eighty-three people had been drinking alcohol when they first took party pills.

Only 80 (64 per cent) had read the product directions and 48 (38.4 per cent) had, at some stage, taken more pills than recommended.

As well, 106 (84.8 per cent) had felt effects from party pills, but only 63 (59 per cent of those feeling effects or 50.4 per cent of total) described these as "good".

Six (5.7 per cent of those with effects or 4.8 per cent of total) had sought medical attention for the effects.

Seventy-four (59.2 per cent) would take herbal party pills again.

Dr Nicholson said the effects of the piperazines were similar to those created by amphetamines.

"They result in euphoria and a heightened level of awareness, and have therefore become popular on the dance scene as they make people feel good, and keep them awake so they can dance all night." The pills might also produce tachycardia and hypertension, and in excess they might also result in cardiac toxicity, hypothermia, hallucinations and seizures.

There had been one report of fatal fluid on the brain after taking a combination of party pills, she said.

At least two patients had been admitted to an intensive care unit because of complications associated with taking too many herbal party pills.

"The long-term effects of regular ingestion, particularly in combination with alcohol, are unknown."

Herbal party pills are legal and come under the legislation for herbal and dietary supplements. There are multiple brands including Charge, ESP, Euphoria, Frenzy, Jump, Rapture and The Good Stuff.

The main active constituents in these pills are benzylpiperazine or trifluromethyllpiperazine or both.

The substances can be derived from the pepper plant, hence the prefix herbal.

Pills containing piperazines have been illegal in the US since 2004, and are also illegal in at least three states in Australia.

They were banned in Western Australia in 2004, in Queensland in 2002, and more recently in New South Wales.

The study will be published in Emergency Medicine Australasia, the journal of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine. 

- NZPA