PURPOSE: to define 1-benzylpiperazine (BZP) as a new psychoactive substance which is to be made subject to control measures and criminal provisions.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision 2008/206/JHA defining 1-benzylpiperazine (BZP) as a new psychoactive substance which is to be made subject to control measures and criminal provisions.

CONTENT: this Decision defines 1-benzylpiperazine (BZP) as a new psychoactive substance which is to be made subject to control measures proportionate to the risks of the substance, and criminal penalties, as provided for under their legislation complying with their obligations under the 1971 United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 08/03/2008.

The European Parliament adopted a resolution drafted by Jean-Marie CAVADA (ALDE, FR) and approved the proposal for a Council decision on defining 1-benzylpiperazine (BZP) as a new synthetic drug which is to be made subject to control measures and criminal provisions.

It should be noted that the Parliament amended Article 1 of the proposed text by 329 votes for, 270 against and 18 abstentions. Parliament requests Member States to take the necessary measures, in accordance with their national law, to submit 1-benzylpiperazine (also known as 1-benzyl-1, 4-diazacyclohexane, N-benzylpiperazine or – less precisely – as benzylpiperazine or BZP) to mere control measures, proportionate to the low and still to be researched and proven risks of the substance.

In its resolution, the Parliament draws the attention of the Commission and the Council to the lack of conclusive scientific evidence in the risk assessment report on which the Commission proposal is based, particularly as regards evidence of overall risks and harm caused by this substance, and stresses that further studies are needed.

The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs adopted, without amendments at 1 st reading of the consultation procedure, the report drafted by Jean-Marie CAVADA (ALDE, FR) on the proposal for a Council decision on defining 1-benzylpiperazine (BZP) as a new synthetic drug which is to be made subject to control measures and criminal provisions.

PURPOSE: to define 1-benzylpiperazine (BZP) as a new synthetic drug which is to be made subject to control measures and criminal provisions.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

BACKGROUND: BZP is a synthetic substance; it was first reported in the European Union in 1999. In some Member States BZP is legally available from retail chemical suppliers. For recreational purposes it is sold as tablets and capsules via internet sites or in some Member States in 'smart/ herbal shops'. On the illicit drugs market, BZP may also be sold/ bought as the popular drug ecstasy.

Thirteen Member States and one Third State (Norway) have reported seizures of BZP in powder, capsules or tablets. In five Member States, BZP is subjected to control measures and criminal penalties as provided under their legislation. Two Member States apply control measures to BZP under their medicines legislation.

A Risk Assessment Report on 1-benzylpiperazine (BZP) was drawn up on the basis of Article 6 of the Council Decision 2005/387/JHA by a special session of the extended Scientific Committee of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction and subsequently submitted to the Council and the Commission on 31 May 2007. The report reveals a lack of conclusive scientific evidence on the overall risks of BZP. However, due to its stimulant properties, risk to health, the lack of medical benefits and following the precautionary principle, there is a need to control BZP, but the control measures should be appropriate to the relatively low risks of the substance.

Placing 1-benzylpiperazine under control may help avoid problems in international law enforcement and judicial cooperation.

CONTENT: on the basis of the abovementioned information, this draft decision obliges the Member States to take the necessary measures, in accordance with their national law, to submit 1-benzylpiperazine (also known as 1-benzyl-1,4-diazacyclohexane, Nbenzylpiperazine or – less precisely – as benzylpiperazine or BZP) to control measures, proportionate to the risks of the substance, and criminal penalties, as provided for under their legislation complying with their obligations under the 1971 United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances.

PURPOSE: to define 1-benzylpiperazine (BZP) as a new synthetic drug which is to be made subject to control measures and criminal provisions.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

BACKGROUND: BZP is a synthetic substance; it was first reported in the European Union in 1999. In some Member States BZP is legally available from retail chemical suppliers. For recreational purposes it is sold as tablets and capsules via internet sites or in some Member States in 'smart/ herbal shops'. On the illicit drugs market, BZP may also be sold/ bought as the popular drug ecstasy.

Thirteen Member States and one Third State (Norway) have reported seizures of BZP in powder, capsules or tablets. In five Member States, BZP is subjected to control measures and criminal penalties as provided under their legislation. Two Member States apply control measures to BZP under their medicines legislation.

A Risk Assessment Report on 1-benzylpiperazine (BZP) was drawn up on the basis of Article 6 of the Council Decision 2005/387/JHA by a special session of the extended Scientific Committee of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction and subsequently submitted to the Council and the Commission on 31 May 2007. The report reveals a lack of conclusive scientific evidence on the overall risks of BZP. However, due to its stimulant properties, risk to health, the lack of medical benefits and following the precautionary principle, there is a need to control BZP, but the control measures should be appropriate to the relatively low risks of the substance.

Placing 1-benzylpiperazine under control may help avoid problems in international law enforcement and judicial cooperation.

CONTENT: on the basis of the abovementioned information, this draft decision obliges the Member States to take the necessary measures, in accordance with their national law, to submit 1-benzylpiperazine (also known as 1-benzyl-1,4-diazacyclohexane, Nbenzylpiperazine or – less precisely – as benzylpiperazine or BZP) to control measures, proportionate to the risks of the substance, and criminal penalties, as provided for under their legislation complying with their obligations under the 1971 United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances.