Narcotic and psychotropic substances: defining 1-benzylpiperazine BZP as a new synthetic drug which is to be made subject to control measures and criminal provisions

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.