Teens turning up at school wasted on new party pills

Synthetic marijuana. Photo / Steven McNicholl

A new wave of legal party pills has crept into Whangarei secondary schools, with the parents of two teenagers asked to take their children home after they arrived for class high on the substances.

Whangarei campus officer, Senior Constable Hank Van Engelen, said two students had been so wasted on the pills, their parents were called and asked to collect them.

"Over the last two or three months parents and schools have been telling me about students going to school stoned on a legal high. They're not illegal, and I'm not sure whether Parliament is dealing with it."

Rob Allen, manager of Cactus Liquor which sold the pills, said the issue came down to personal responsibility. The law was clear that party pills and synthetic marijuana should only be sold to people over 18 and the instructions should be followed.

The store's owner Zoe Baird said the current selection of party pills took six months to come on the market after the BZP-based pills were banned in 2008.

The pills claimed to mimic Class A drugs such as Ecstasy and speed, but in reality made you feel wide awake. The pills had names such as Fuel, Avionic, Kaotic and Kinetic.

Ms Baird said the substances weren't mind altering, but too many could make people ill.

"It gives you a high energy boost that doesn't make you want to steal TVs and break into homes."

Users of the pills included people wanting extra energy at work, people going to the gym, and women in their 50s wanting a boost for their child's 21st or a wedding.

Mr Allen said Cactus Liquor was selling only a small proportion of pills compared with before the BZP ban - a bigger seller was "synthetic marijuana", with names like Rasta Ganja, Kronic and Dream.

He said it was unfortunate students were taking the legal highs at school but it was natural for young people to experiment.

"They're there for mature people and by the time you're 18 you should have a modicum of common sense."

If Cactus Liquor employees felt someone was buying on behalf of an underage person, or abusing the products, they wouldn't be served.

- APN