The Czech drug market has been offering a new hit: benzylpiperazine. This hallucinogenic pill, dubbed “fake ecstasy”, has an advantage against their competitor. It has not yet been included on the list of banned substances.
The drug was intercepted by detectives for the first time four years ago. When experts from the criminalistics institute put the unknown pill under the microscope, they discovered that it is a completely legal drug. It took some time for the benzylpiperazine pill, or fake ecstasy, to find its spot next to the traditionally popular ecstasy. “Piperazines differ from ordinary ecstasy in that they have a slower onset of effects,” said Michal Hammer from Czech National Anti-Drug Centre.
At first, clubbers rejected the new drug because of its slow onset, however, piperazine managed to spread massively in the past few years. “We have noted a more significant occurrence of pills containing piperazine” warn the authors of a document that maps the safety situation in 2008. “This substance is not illegal in the Czech Republic,” they said.
The last quote explains the attractiveness of the sale and success of the drug newcomer. “Producers started abusing it. They know they have no legal liability,” said Michal Hammer. The inconspicuous pill became part of the European drug business. Pill that can be bought for CZK 200 is coming from The Netherlands, Denmark, Estonia, Belgium and Poland.
Select stores and stands in clubs and festivals abroad have even started selling the pill as a legal alternative to ecstasy. Vendors often offer it online. Týden, found out there are offers in Czech too.
