Hi,
My name is Matt Bowden, I want to start by identifying myself as the spokesperson & chairman for this industry association.
Just to flesh out a bit more what BilZ0r said and expand on the discussion points, the Social Tonics Association has come about as the industry sector attempting to put some risk management framework around new recreational substances that come along, to give law makers some additional drug categories other than prohibition.
Our country has an select health committee "Expert Advisory Committee on Drugs" which looks at each new substance and decides whether there is sufficient evidence of harm to schedule it. A couple of years ago they looked at 14B, GBL, GHB and decided to schedule them. They were filling the hospital emergency wards every weekend.
More recently they looked at BZP and decided not to schedule it, instead asking the Ministry of Health to investigate options for a new category of "non traditional designer substances." It seems we have categories and regulations for FOOD (things consumed for nutritional value), for LIQUOR (consumed to induce drunkenness), for MEDICINES (consumed for therapeutic purposes, primarily to treat or prevent disease), for ILLEGAL DRUGS (prohibited if unacceptably dangerous) but no category for substances consumed for self indulgence or social lubrication or spiritualisation or other reason such as CHOCOLATE, KAVA, ENTHEOGENS, EMPATHOGENS, SHAMANIC SACRAMENTS.
We're working with our Ministry of Health to remedy this, because it has been suggested that this shortfall in society is the reason why people take illegal drugs. Something is missing that man has used for centuries. The ability to consume something to take his mind far away from the working week and into social or "party" mode. Particularly members who feel a part of the dance community who have centuries of ritualistic historical usage of such tonics as part of their behaviour patterns.
It is considered that a high enough percentage of the population are choosing to use recreational substances that there should be a balance between prohibition and liberty, in the interests of harm minimisation. (EACD report on BZP available at
www.stanz.org.nz/documents.htm)
We have called this category SOCIAL TONICS for now.
What happened next is that as the "barrier arm" as it were has lifted, we are starting to see the market push towards saturation, and some form of more advanced strategy or regulation is required. The Code of Practice we developed is essentially a risk management framework. It seeks to put harm minimisation policies into practice. It advocates assessment of the risks associated with each substance and regulates them accordingly.
It's been suggested that we have a sub-committee made up perhaps of drug policy analysts, representatives of the treatment sector and industry reps to co regulate the industry in conjuntion with the Ministry of Health and keep it moving in the direction of harm reduction.
As BilZ0r suggests, independant risk analysis needs to be carried out on ingredients that do not have a history of safe use, as otherwise we're exposing the community to unknown risk elements which could be hazardous, and suggestions for models in this area are welcomed and very much needed, not just for BZP, although specific comment is requested on the risk analysis of BZP, but generically for all new substances.
BilZ0r brings up a good point, should Social Tonics be taxed heavily as alcohol is and the revenue paid directly to the tax office to be included in the national budget, or should it be earmarked for further research?
Also it's been suggested that revenue from this industry should fund the setup of culturally relevant healing centres, chillzones, rehabs, paramedics in clubs and other harm minimisation services amongst the communities from whom the revenue has been generated as a form of sustainable ecology.
We are hoping to model something really unique in New Zealand as far as drug policy goes, taking us somewhere far more progressive than last century. If we get it right, perhaps we can model it to other nearby nations. In the least, we'll be a great place to take a trip.
We may only get one chance at this though, and we really don't want to bugger it up, so please if you have any constructive criticism or suggestions, drop us a line.
(Thanks for your input BliZ0r, looking forward to reading, presenting & hopefully implementing your submission.)
Thanks for reading, will attempt to tackle any questions, but if you want to make suggestions to the industry, please do it through the stanz.org.nz website so that everybody involved at our end can see them.
Matt Bowden
www.stargateinternational.org
www.angelcare.org.nz
www.stanz.org.nz
