EXPERT ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON DRUGS
Thursday 28 June 2007, 9.00am – 1.00pm
Medsafe Conference Room, Level 6, Deloitte House,
10 Brandon Street, Wel ington
    EACD MEMBERS PRESENT

Dr Ashley Bloomfield (Chair)
Adrienne Fruean
Dr Tim Maling
Rajesh Chhana
Gavin Jones
Paul Campbell

EACD SECRETARIAT PRESENT

Olivia Tuatoko
Martin Woodbridge
Olivia Stapleton
Mark Heffernan
Chris Laurenson
Mick Alexander (NDIB)

1    WELCOME AND APPOLOGIES

The Chair welcomed members. He welcomed Gavin Jones to his first meeting and
introduced Mick Alexander, Co-ordinator of National Drug Intelligence Bureau as
part of the Secretariat.

Apologies were received from Dr Helen Moriarty, Dr Keith Bedford, and Dr
Geoffrey Robinson.

Professor Doug Sellman joined via teleconference at 10.30 am.

2  CONFIRMATION OF 3 MAY 2007 MINUTES

The Commit ee agreed that members would review the minutes from the 3 May
2007 EACD meeting  over a two week period,  and provide comments to the
Secretariat before being finalised.

3  MATTERS ARISING FROM 3 MAY 2007 MEETING

3.1   Indan(e)s and Aminoindan(e)s. Item 5.1.2, and Thalidomide. Item 5.1.3
Issue: The Secretariat was scheduled to provide an assessment of indan(e)s and
aminoindan(e)s, as well as Thalidomide for discussion at a future meeting.
Outcome: This topic wil be considered by the Commit ee under Agenda 7.i when
members review the list of substances scheduled to be discussed at future
meeting dates.

3.2   UK Criteria on Drug Scheduling. Item 5.1.5
Issue:  The  Secretariat would revise this paper for consideration to include
information on the Australian Risk Management standards.

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Outcome:  This wil  be considered under agenda item 5: Rational drug
classification systems.

3.3   Zopiclone. Item 5.1.6

Issue: To maintain a watching brief regarding any updates on the classification of
zopiclone by the World Health Organization. It was agreed that no further action
would be taken to recommend the classification of Zopiclone under the Misuse of
Drugs Act 1975 in New Zealand at this stage.

Outcome: Chair has informed the Associate Minister  of Health on the EACD’s
recommendation that no further action is required.

3.4   Legal Status of 2C-T-7. Item 5.1.7

Issue:  The  definition of amphetamine analogues in Schedule 3, Part 7 of the
Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 be amended to include “and/or alkylthio radicals” after
“alkylamino radicals”.

Outcome: This topic wil  be considered by the Commit ee under Agenda 7.i when
members review the list of substances scheduled to be discussed at future
meeting dates.

3.5   Gateway Theory. Item 5.1.8

Issue:  The Secretariat would provide the EACD with a paper summarising
evidence on the gateway theory, drawing in particular on work conducted in the
UK.

Outcome: The Ministry of Health currently holds a standing contract with Massey
University (SHORE) to provide advice on the gateway theory. The Secretariat wil
request that this work be done under that contract.

3.6   BZP. Item 6

Issue:  The Committee was to review and determine what additional advice the
EACD might want to give to the Minister in light of receiving further documents
relating to BZP.
Outcome:  The Chair updated the Commit ee on BZP.  The Committee was
informed that Cabinet has decided to classify BZP, phenylpiperazine and related
substances in Part 1 of the Third Schedule (Class C1) of the Misuse of Drugs Act
1975; set a presumption for supply of BZP, phenylpiperazine and related
substances at 5 grams or 100 tablets, capsules or other drug forms each
containing some quantity of the substance; and provide for an amnesty for those in
possession or using BZP or related substances for a period of six months, from the
date of enactment of the legislation.

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The Committee discussed the EACD’s role in the Select Committee process. It
was agreed that if Select Committee requested a submission from the EACD that
the EACD Chair would speak on behalf of the Committee.  The Committee also
agreed that individual members of the EACD would not express their views on the
classification as a member of the EACD.

The Committee requested that the Secretariat continue to circulate any emerging
technical research on BZP and its use to members, as a source of further advice if
necessary.

3.7   Assessment of alcohol harm. Item 7

Issue:  This paper provided an analysis  of the harms of ethanol and has  been
submit ed to Lancet for publication.

Outcome: Committee members noted the paper.

4  DECLARATION OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

No conflicts of interest were declared.

5  RATIONAL DRUG CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS.

Professor Sellman joined the discussion via teleconference.

Reference:  Rational Drug Classification Systems paper written by the Secretariat
(2007) and a draft proposed scale for rationally assessing the risk to public health
from using a drug by Sellman & Adamson (2007)

Issue: For the EACD to note the papers provided on Rational Drug Classification
Systems and consider the implications of them in a New Zealand environment.

Discussion:  The Committee acknowledged Professor Sellman’s work on the
Draft scale. The Committee agreed that a scoring approach is a useful idea and
could be used by the EACD as an additional tool when assessing a substance for
classification.

The scale looked at six assessment areas, including:
•  Death
•  Addiction
•  Antisocial behaviour
•  Negative physical health consequences
•  Negative mental health consequences and
•  Positive mental health consequences

The Committee discussed several features of the scale. Members discussed the
usefulness of a positive mental health criterion and acknowledged there is a need
to  recognise the positive effects  that substance use on  general wellbeing.
Members were also noted that the scale would not be useful when assessing new

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or emerging drugs when little is known about the consequences of their use.  The
Committee suggested that the scope of the scale should also include public health
factors  such as social  and  economic harm.  The Committee  suggested that  the
Australian New Zealand risk management standard could be a useful resource in
the development of a scale.

The  Committee was given the  definition for addiction  as compulsive behaviour.
Although it has a relationship with withdrawl it is not the primary factor.

The Commit ee agreed that there should be something in place that puts the
responsibility on the marketer to prove that what they are marketing is benefiting
the country. And depending on its claims it would then go through the relevant
authorities.

Action:

Professor Sellman acknowledged the Commit ee’s comments and wil  keep
developing the scale. Professor Sellman will send a reference to the Secretariat
on the risk assessment draft proposed scale he developed.

Secretariat to circulate New Zealand Australian Risk Management Standards and
to investigate further published and validated approaches taken internationally.

6.    NOREPHREDRINE

Reference: Paper by the Secretariat

Issue:  For the EACD to note the formal assessment of the drug substance
norephedrine and to determine if the EACD should further consider whether
norephedrine should be classified under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975.

Outcome:
The  Committee noted the paper and agreed to stay with current legislative
controls.

Discussion:
The Committee noted that norepredrine is a concern as it is one of multiple
substances that can be used to extract other possible controlled substances.  The
Committee was also informed that norepredrine, under the International Narcotics
Control Board, is listed as a potential precursor substance in the il icit manufacture
of amphetamine drug products.  As New Zealand is a signatory to the UN
International Drug Control Conventions it could be deemed to be in breech in this
regard.

The Committee was informed that norepredrine  is not manufactured in New
Zealand and the current regulatory system under the Medicines Act 1981 makes it
difficult for it to be brought in unless a prescription is written by a New Zealand
registered doctor.

The choices given to the Committee were to either:

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1.  correct the anomaly and recommend its classification as a precursor, or
2.  maintain the status quo and the current control of norepredrine under the
Medicines Act 1981.

Action:  The Committee agreed to maintain the  status quo and  requested  the
Secretariat to request Police to monitor clandestine seizures through a 12 month
period in order to determine whether  there is any evidence that norephredrine is
being used as a precursor substance in the manufacture of amphetamine.

7.    GENERAL BUSINESS:
I.  Strategic Plan for EACD

Committee members discussed the current situation of substances  that had
previously been discussed by the EACD.

The Committee agreed that a discussion on a possible presumption for supply
level for Ketamine would be discussed at the next meeting.

The Committee requested that the Secretariat prepare a full summary of previous
EACD discussions and the current situation regarding Ziperrol, Dextromethorphan,
and Fortal.

The Committee recommended  that an amendment  of  the definition of
amphetamine analogues in Schedule 3, Part 7 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 to
include 2-C-T-7 would be included in the next Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bil .

Potassium permanganate was flagged at a previous meeting, however, scheduling
this substance in the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975  could cause a problem as high
schools and laboratories using it for laboratory work.

Indan(e)s and Aminoindan(e)s will be discussed at the November meeting.

Thalidomide wil  be addressed when the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 is reviewed.

Action:

The Terms of Reference for the EACD is to be discussed at the next meeting.

The Secretariat is to write up a summary on Ziperrol, Dextromethorphan, and
Fortal with regards to what was discussed at previous meetings.

Secretariat to provide an assessment  Indan(e)s and Aminoindan(e)s at a future
meeting.

Ketamine,  and  Salvia  divinorim to be discussed at next meeting  with further
information from the Secretariat.
II.  Other Business

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Secretariat informed Committee that the UN drug report is now available.

8. DATE OF NEXT MEETING:

The next meeting is a teleconference and is scheduled for Thursday 30 August
2007, 2pm – 4pm. Ministry of Health Rooms 4.01 & 4.02, 1 The Terrace,
Wel ington.

The meeting closed at 12.40pm.

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Document Outline