The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has postponed its decision on whether or not to ban alkyl nitrites – colloquially known as poppers – and reclassify them into the same category as marijuana and heroin until early 2019.

While the TGA had initially opened the decision to public submissions, with the aim of making a decision by the end of November, it has since extended the submission window until mid-January. In a statement, the TGA cited the need to further assess approaches to access and the risks associated with alkyl nitrites as the reason for the extension.

“Prior to making a final decision on possible amendments to the Poisons Standard schedule for alkyl nitrites, the TGA decision-maker has requested that further public consultation be undertaken,” the statement read.

In lieu of a decision this month, the TGA has announced it will release a discussion paper outlining possible options around access on November 29. These will range from unrestricted sales and pharmacy-only access to prohibited substance status.

Part of the reasoning behind the TGA’s proposed poppers ban was concerns around health impacts, including reported loss of vision and hospitalisation due to methaemoglobinaemia, a condition that results in chest pain, shortness of breath, and possible organ damage.

The TGA has also stated that alykl nitrites can cause low blood pressure, dizziness, nausea, and fainting.

However, in a recent submission to the TGA by community health advocate Daniel Reeders and sexual health physician Dr Vincent Cornelisse, the pair argued that cases of vision loss only emerged after the EU banned isobutyl nitrite, which was the most common active ingredient in poppers at the time.

They also argued that recent LGBTI community health advancements indicated that community education and harm minimisation remained the most effective strategies to reduce risks of use, where criminalisation may create a sense of risk in patients needing to otherwise disclose use to doctors. Read more via Star Observer