Hundreds of protestors took to the streets of Tauranga today to march against the testing of party pills on animals.
The Tauranga march from The Strand is part of a nationwide campaign in protest of the Psychoactive Substances Bill aiming to regulate the sale of party pills and synthetic cannabis.
Protestors march for animal rights on The Strand. Photo: Chris Callinan
Paw Justice advocate Tiki Taane at the protest against animal testing.
People turned out with their dogs to protest. Photo: Chris Callinan
The bill was passed in Parliament this month requiring manufacturers to prove their products are safe for use. It bans a number of synthetic highs and party pills from shelves.
An amendment on animal testing has since been added, but a total ban on animal testing as part of the legislation was voted down in Parliament on July 10.
Associate Health Minister Todd McClay today welcomed the protests that "raise concerns about the possibility of animal testing for psychoactive products".
'I have today clarified with the Ministry of Health that no licences to test psychoactive substances are to be issued before the Expert Advisory Committee has completed its consideration of what constitutes a low risk of harm and the appropriateness of all aspects of a testing regime,” says Mr McClay.
"The Psychoactive Substances Act removed legal highs from hundreds of retailers around New Zealand and will ensure that only low risk products are available in the future.
"The Government's overriding objective with the legislation is the health and welfare of young people, and the Act is already having a positive effect for those most vulnerable."
Organisers say the bill does not go far enough, and a complete ban on animal testing of these products is needed.
In Tauranga today people turned out in dozens with their furry friends seeking 'justice for animals”.
Welcome Bay resident Elly Maynard, who is president of Sirius Global Animal Organisation Trust, wants an outright ban on the sale and manufacturing of party pills to stop the need for the drug to be tested on animals.
She says party pills have the same effect as speed, ‘P', ecstasy and LSD and is upset the Government thinks the testing of these drugs is acceptable.
'Psychoactive substances, highs, party pills, whatever you want to call them, [are] not designed by reputable manufacturers to save lives, but by a select few to give a select group a manufactured drug induced high.
'We as a people are protesting that animals will indeed die because the Government of New Zealand is taking no notice of the wishes the people to either ban these substances totally or take testing of these things on animals out of the equation totally.”
Papamoa-based musician Tiki Taane, who has recently finished touring New Zealand, took time to show his support against the testing of legal highs on animals.
'I totally disagree with the animal testing especially for party pills. I think it's just a joke and it's really stink.
'These poor animals don't have a voice. Party pills themselves are controversial and to test them on innocent animals is just totally wrong. I don't agree with it and I just want to show my support. It's as simple as that."
Today's protest coincides with a Parliament sitting and is aimed at showing the government they 'have made a mistake”.
It is one of 11 centres around the country holding protests.
Tiger gets dressed up for the protest march.
22 comments
medicine anyone?
Posted on 30-07-2013 13:39 | By Papamoaner
I wonder if any of them use prescription medications? It's all about balance. Animal testing is best avoided if you don't need to do it, but sometimes we don't have much choice, unless of course we test a new medicine on humans. I'm sure these people are all genuine, in which case they surely would acknowledge that if a medicine must be tested prior to approval, it should not be done on humans. That only leaves animals. We can of course also assume that these people are not hypocrites, so none of them are enjoying the benefits of any medication that might have been tested on animals. It's all about balance and moderation.
Party pills
Posted on 30-07-2013 13:45 | By Papamoaner
If their protest is exclusively about party pills, then we ought to support them in a good cause, but if they also object to genuine medicine testing, which they have been vocal on in the past, then No! If they are genuine in this respect, their thrust should perhaps be towards banning party pills per se.
good on you
Posted on 30-07-2013 14:41 | By Maria M
fantastic all the people that were able to make the event to stick up for defenseless animals. The heartless loveless souls that want to test that NASTY high on animals should actually watch some human on it then think again. Its really NASTY
Ban the party pills
Posted on 30-07-2013 15:35 | By Wingnut
Why does our govt pussyfoot around the issue? Simply ban all party pills, synthetic cannabis etc. They are harmful. The retailers that sell these should be ashamed of themselves. Boycott them.
No animals
Posted on 30-07-2013 16:00 | By YOGI BEAR
Sounds fair, lets use inmates instead, better idea? If not what then?
Who to test them on? Easy
Posted on 30-07-2013 16:08 | By Bronzewing
If the garbage who want to make a profit from the misery their junk causes want to sell the stuff they say is safe. Test it on them for at least 6 months. Problem solved.
No sign of Simon..
Posted on 30-07-2013 16:49 | By yikes61
didnt think Bridges would have the balls to front up as to why if he advocates tougher sentencing for those that inflict cruelty on animals, he voted for Peter Dunnes proposal to allow animal testing for psychoactive products. Congrats to the organisers and to those who attended. Listen up Govt, we, the NZ public majority, DO NOT want animal testing for these products.
pary pills
Posted on 30-07-2013 16:49 | By hendrix
Our govt want listen to what we want ,they never do ,they will just go ahead anyway .They forget they acually work for us .If this goes ahead then NZ is no different to Asian torture of dogs for eating .Japan eating alive monkey brain .Russia bear so called dancing ,spain bull fighting etc.,,cant go on I feel sick
@ Bronzewing
Posted on 30-07-2013 18:18 | By Papamoaner
Brilliant suggestion on your part Bronzewing. If the drug pushers have confidence in their product, require them to test it on THEMSELVES instead of animals, as part of the marketing approval process. My thrust is that it's fair enough for prescription drugs and bona fide OTC medicines to be tested on animals. The real problem here is to separate the extremist loopies from the genuine protesters.
Ban them!
Posted on 30-07-2013 18:51 | By Blessed
Dont need legal highs, there is enough probs with Alcohol, People need to get use to having a good time without 'legal highs'... Stop the sale all together, Govt stop wasting time and Money.
@ Yikes 61
Posted on 30-07-2013 20:50 | By Papamoaner
Your apparent dislike of Simon Bridges is clouding your judgement on the issue at hand. Where on earth did you manage to measure this protest as a "NZ majority" ? Put your money where your foot currently is and produce the evidence to support your outrageous claim.
moaner whiner
Posted on 31-07-2013 01:34 | By rotovend
personally I didn't see any loopies at this protest as all ages and types were there to protest about animal testing firstly on party pills which is totally pointless as people get paid to do it and want to and its results are unreliable as animals are totally different in their make-up than us all animal testing should be stopped as its an embarrassment and shameful part of our country. Animal testing proves nothing except how cruel we are as a race. did you know Moaner/whiner that thalidomide was tested on animals and it had no bad side-effects and as we all know this is not the case with humans it is a proven fact that animal testing proves nothing in regards to humans and we can grow human bits to test now ANIMAL TESTING SHOULD BE BANNED even the Poms have banned it, in about 1997 I think. You need to get out more and spend time in the community with people who really care papamoaner and you would have learnt a lot from the speakers at the March
@papamoaner
Posted on 31-07-2013 06:41 | By Reeff
In your first coment you say testing should not be done on humans, but later in the comments you say it's fine to test on humans (drug dealers) I'm confused.......any way I don't think you need to be a loopie to have the guts to stand up for things you believe in
Total ban
Posted on 31-07-2013 09:24 | By penguin
The government should have the guts to ban these drugs outright. Since this is unlikely, then test them on humans who will be the users, not animals that will not be users!
@ Reeff
Posted on 31-07-2013 12:39 | By Papamoaner
We can agree to disagree, but you might perhaps have mis-read my comment. I am against animal testing for recreational drugs, and have voted against it in the sunlive poll. However, I favour animal testing for bona fide medicines. I don't understand how that can be confusing. As to Tracey - I propose to ignore her whilst she persists with a vindictive propensity to call people names which defeats her argument. Me referring to Loopies, is a generalisation, not name-calling against any individual. Perhaps I should define a Loopie. It is one of those vicious criminal anti-vivisection type activists who would toss a Molotov cocktail through a butcher shop window with no thought nor care about families living above the shop, as has happened more than once or twice. These criminals are so common in the UK that Scotland Yard have formed a special anti-vivisectionist unit to deal with them. I don't accuse you guys of being like that, but I reckon there's a good chance there will be one or two loopies in the crowd. There nearly always is, and the nasty name-callers are always a good place to look first.
Papas Moaner
Posted on 31-07-2013 14:46 | By YOGI BEAR
Yeah sounds silly doesn't it, at best a 100 attend out of say 250,000 bay citizens like that is 0.05% hardly a majority! So really that has the look of a Maori settlement claim about it, next to no one knows/hears of it but it is now a "Majority" great maths there Yikes61, oh hmmm and like when do you start school?
Antagonistic...
Posted on 31-07-2013 18:05 | By yikes61
look it up yogi! as for the mouth from the East moaner, take a leaf out of your own mouth, by reverting to personal attacks you loose the argument as per your quote on a previous issue. Animal testing is an emotive subject but if your view is one of speciesim, you need reminding that without biodiversity, all the way down to unicellular organisms (single cell organisms yogi), humans would not survive. Testing on animals especially for cosmetics, is an outdated unnecessary and cruel practice (check out draize testing yogi). To prolong human life, animal experiments take place and arguments abound as I said on this emotive subject. MP Bridges advocates tougher sentencing for those who deliberately harm animals inflicting pain and suffering and yet he and the National Party voted in testing on animals for a substance that is a recreational drug. I would call that spineless/two faced and greasing up[ to JK. To that end, I dislike such a character, regardless of the party they represent.
The moaner is at it again!!!
Posted on 31-07-2013 18:14 | By Sambo Returns
do you have a T shirt with "dont you know who I am" emblazoned across the front of it, what gives you the right to think your opinions are the correct ones, come down off your throne, and realise these forums are for anyone to make their opinion, and why are you so perfect, that you can judge others, and slag off at their faults, if you cannot handle people from all walks of life voicing their opinion, go back to living in your, perfect little world, inside your own mind!!!!
yikes61
Posted on 01-08-2013 03:18 | By Crash test dummies
Looks personal to me.
Agree to disagree
Posted on 01-08-2013 07:41 | By Papamoaner
Sambo returns wants us all to agree with each other and resents alternative views. Yikes61-Yawn! zzzz But hey mate, where's your evidence of majority? Answer the question.
In todays time?
Posted on 06-08-2013 15:25 | By Beach lover
Hi, I recently received a shared-post on Facebook about a new anti-aging serum by cosmetic mogul company,Estee Lauder. I clicked on it because there had been a lot of comments. I was outraged to read that they test on animals (despite having used their products) and that I didnt even know or think to know. I am more aware of this debate. I believe animals should NOT be tested on in this day and age, especially as the human race is so technologically advanced. We simply don't need it, and it needs to be phased out. Instead of making these synthetic drugs and testing on our beautiful animals tell the idiots to roll up a plastic bag and smoke it.
To beachlover
Posted on 07-08-2013 09:12 | By Papamoaner
I agree with you Beachlover, the one exception being where lifesaving human medicines need to be tested before deployment. If we suddenly discovered a spectacular cure or vaccine for cancer or Aids, it would be reasonable to test them on animals whose life span is very short compared to ours. We need to balance that against the potential huge numbers of human life and misery that could be alleviated. Any reasonable thinking person would surely agree with that.
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