Party pills, booze biggest threats to young clubbers

Party pills and alcohol pose a greater threat to young nightclubbers in Wellington than the more expensive "high-end" illegal drugs such as Ecstasy, according to a survey.

A Victoria University study into the city's clubbing scene found that because of the young age of most clubbers they were attracted to the more affordable drugs such as herbal highs, also known as party pills, and the central nervous system depressant known as GHB.

"Although the higher-end drugs are certainly destructive, the clubbers highlighted other drugs with which they encountered more frequent risk-taking behaviour," criminology lecturer Fiona Hutton said. She studied 33 clubbers between the ages of 18 and 25. Wellington club owners and managers were also questioned.

"The public are often led to believe that illegal drugs, such as Ecstasy, cause the biggest harm among club-goers," Dr Hutton said. "The reality is that due to the young age of most clubbers, they are not able to afford those substances on a frequent basis."

Instead clubbers sought drugs like GHB. When mixed with alcohol it acts like an anaesthetic, making users vulnerable "especially where safe sex was concerned".

- NZPA