Headline: Party pills not for pups
New Zealanders want to keep animal testing out of legal high testing
It is very disappointing that the Government has blocked the Health Select Committee from being able to look at animal testing as part of the legal high legislation, the Green Party said today.
Trevor Mallard moved that the committee be allowed to consider animal testing as part of their consideration of the Psychoactive Substances Bill after it was ruled out of scope by the Chair.
“Animal testing of these recreational substances is both unethical and unnecessary. I have prepared an amendment that would rule out the use of data from new animal tests being used as proof of safety, and am looking forward to gaining cross-party support for it, Green Party animal welfare spokesperson Mojo Mathers said.
“The Committee chair made an initial error of judgment when he ruled that accepting data from animal testing as proof of safety was out of scope of the bill. Much animal testing is done overseas, so cannot be regulated via the Animal Welfare Act.
“The issue of accepting information from animal testing of party pills needs to be carried out in the bill regulating party pills – not in other bits of legislation.
“New Zealanders want to keep animal testing out of legal high testing; they overwhelmingly oppose testing party pills on animals.
“We want strong regulation to keep people safe from dangerous substances, but there is no need to subject animals to cruel and unnecessary suffering just to make it cheaper and easier for manufacturers to prove their products are safe.
“We should instead be looking to develop a world class, ethical safety regime. My amendment ruling out the use of data from new animal testing would achieve this.
“I am looking forward to getting cross-party support to get this straightforward and really important amendment passed.”
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