Otago MP Jacqui Dean
Media Release
Thursday April 6th, 2006.
Dean Appalled at Party Pills Sales Tactics
Otago MP Jacqui Dean will make a complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority following the distribution of a flyer
advertising herbal highs that she believes blatantly targets children.
The flyer features an ice cream truck marked “Mr Trippy” and was distributed by New Zealand Post in Auckland,
Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin for Cosmic Corner stores.
Earlier this year, the Advertising Standards Board upheld a complaint lodged by Mrs Dean over a poster using the
fictional children’s character Mr Potato Head to promote party pills. The poster was voluntarily withdrawn as a result
of that complaint.
“The Mr Trippy campaign is worse than the Mr Potato Head posters. It’s using an edible product and linking that with
party pills clearly targeting a younger age group than those legally allowed to buy the pills.
“This type of advertising pushes the legal limits of what is permissible under current legislation and needs reigned
in,” she said.
Mrs Dean presented a petition to Parliament last month seeking changes in the way party pills are currently marketed.
ENDS