I hope you all have enjoyed a wonderful Christmas with your families. I sure have, which is why there have been fewer posts than normal lately.
Families are such a blessing, but methamphetamine can destroy so much of these blessings. The Denver Post reports that in Colorado 80 percent of the cases where authorities consider taking children from their parents involve the drug.
The same article (here) details the heartbreak that comes when a meth-addicted parent abandons a child. It's an excellent story and I hope you'll click-through and read it all. Here's a preview:
Before she left, 18-year-old Samantha Zeller stole across the silence of a suburban home and taped a note to her mother's bedroom door.
"I love you, don't worry," she wrote. When Rhonda Zeller awoke, she found her daughter had left something else behind: her 1-year-old son.
Samantha reappeared the day he turned 2, only to walk out again while the birthday boy cried for his mother to stay.
Each time she left, he would stand at the door screaming, "Mommy, no, don't go, please don't go." She would go anyway.
"That's when I knew how horrible this drug must be," Rhonda said. "She loved him more than life."
Wednesday, December 29, 2004
Saturday, December 18, 2004
Another Ecstasy Death
Schoolboy Ben Hennessy died when his temperature rocketed to 108 Degrees and he suffered a massive fit after taking ecstasy. The 15-year-old was found shouting, sweating and lashing out in his grandparents' garden in St Albans, Herts, last July and died in hospital.
Just a week earlier, an anti-drugs film he had written and directed as part of a government initiative to warn kids of the dangers of drugs had been shown at his local cinema. An inquest earlier this year was told he and a pal had decided to try ecstasy tablets "for a laugh". Other pupils at Townsend Church of England School were devastated by his horrific death.
It's so sad. There are no "laughs" with Ecstasy. The story reminds me of Cathy's Story in my film. Cathy had quit all drugs for three years, then decided to take Ecstasy "one last time" for her Senior Prom. It was a fatal decision.
Just a week earlier, an anti-drugs film he had written and directed as part of a government initiative to warn kids of the dangers of drugs had been shown at his local cinema. An inquest earlier this year was told he and a pal had decided to try ecstasy tablets "for a laugh". Other pupils at Townsend Church of England School were devastated by his horrific death.
It's so sad. There are no "laughs" with Ecstasy. The story reminds me of Cathy's Story in my film. Cathy had quit all drugs for three years, then decided to take Ecstasy "one last time" for her Senior Prom. It was a fatal decision.
GHB Awareness Growing in Canada
Here's a good summary of what's wrong with GHB, from The Vancouver Province newspaper in British Columbia
'A perfect drug' for a predator: GHB often carried in Visine bottle or lens container to parties
December 14, 2004
GHB sells on the street for between $10 and $25 for 10 millilitres and usually comes in a small plastic container. Some people bring the undiluted drug to nightclubs in a Visine bottle, or contact lens container, to evade security, said Const. Scott Rintoul, the RCMP's drug awareness officer.
He estimates three teaspoons of undiluted GHB would make someone pass out for up to eight hours.
"From a predator's point of view, it remains a perfect drug," he said. "I had a girl in my office recently who was drugged with GHB at a work party and another girl who became nauseous after her third glass of wine at a busy restaurant and went home and passed out. She went to the doctor the next morning and was definitely drugged." [In my film, ER physician Mike Ritter points out that if someone can't stand up after a dring, they've been drugged and need to be rushed to the nearest hospital.]
GHB is highly addictive and the withdrawal process is similar to heroin withdrawal. [Actually, it's worse. Many have died from GHB withdrawal, so addicts need to find a medical expert who knows how to detox them.] The drug was developed in the 1940s as an anesthetic but failed to impress the medical community. ... While the RCMP doesn't have statistics on GHB deaths in Canada, Rintoul said there are dozens of recorded GHB overdose deaths in the U.S.
'A perfect drug' for a predator: GHB often carried in Visine bottle or lens container to parties
December 14, 2004
GHB sells on the street for between $10 and $25 for 10 millilitres and usually comes in a small plastic container. Some people bring the undiluted drug to nightclubs in a Visine bottle, or contact lens container, to evade security, said Const. Scott Rintoul, the RCMP's drug awareness officer.
He estimates three teaspoons of undiluted GHB would make someone pass out for up to eight hours.
"From a predator's point of view, it remains a perfect drug," he said. "I had a girl in my office recently who was drugged with GHB at a work party and another girl who became nauseous after her third glass of wine at a busy restaurant and went home and passed out. She went to the doctor the next morning and was definitely drugged." [In my film, ER physician Mike Ritter points out that if someone can't stand up after a dring, they've been drugged and need to be rushed to the nearest hospital.]
GHB is highly addictive and the withdrawal process is similar to heroin withdrawal. [Actually, it's worse. Many have died from GHB withdrawal, so addicts need to find a medical expert who knows how to detox them.] The drug was developed in the 1940s as an anesthetic but failed to impress the medical community. ... While the RCMP doesn't have statistics on GHB deaths in Canada, Rintoul said there are dozens of recorded GHB overdose deaths in the U.S.
3-Year-Old Nearly Dies from GHB
I just don't know what to add to this one. This is from the Toronto Globe and Mail; if you want the whole story, go here (fee required):
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - A 3-year old girl had a narrow brush with death after she drank from her father's water bottle that contained GHB, a popular date-rape drug also used for sexual highs. The father told police and ambulance personnel that he brought the bottle home from a party the night before. He was charged with criminal negligence causing bodily harm.
"This is not something we see very often," said Vancouver police Constable Anne Drennan. "It was incredibly irresponsible."
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - A 3-year old girl had a narrow brush with death after she drank from her father's water bottle that contained GHB, a popular date-rape drug also used for sexual highs. The father told police and ambulance personnel that he brought the bottle home from a party the night before. He was charged with criminal negligence causing bodily harm.
"This is not something we see very often," said Vancouver police Constable Anne Drennan. "It was incredibly irresponsible."
Oxycontin Death in Charlotte
Winston Kiser didn't live to enjoy his 18th birthday. The prescription pain drug oxycontin and alcohol killed him. Here's a link to the story, from the Charlotte Observer by reporter Lena Warmack. Please read it.
My heart goes out to Winston's parents, who like the parents profiled in my film, are now trying to reach out parents and kids so that Winston's death can help others, and stand for something.
I hope to cover the dangers of prescription drug abuse in my next film, which will be financed by sales of my current film. Parents really need to talk to their kids about the dangers of these drugs. Please, parents, make it your New Years resolution to have a meaningful talk with your kids about drugs before it's too late. To help you, I've just posted a guide to having a successful drug talk on my Web site. (here)
My heart goes out to Winston's parents, who like the parents profiled in my film, are now trying to reach out parents and kids so that Winston's death can help others, and stand for something.
I hope to cover the dangers of prescription drug abuse in my next film, which will be financed by sales of my current film. Parents really need to talk to their kids about the dangers of these drugs. Please, parents, make it your New Years resolution to have a meaningful talk with your kids about drugs before it's too late. To help you, I've just posted a guide to having a successful drug talk on my Web site. (here)
Life Sentence for Date Rape Use?
The Atlanta Constitution reports that a man faces life in prison for a brutal rape in which he used GHB. The victim easily could have died from the GHB, so a life sentence seems like a good call.
Man faces life for rape of Lawrenceville woman
December 17, 2004
A Jackson man faces up to life in prison for raping a Lawrenceville woman during an after-hours event at Zoo Atlanta. Jason Hopson, 23, is scheduled to be sentenced next month for raping a 21-year-old after the two met at a Q100 radio station party at the zoo June 18.
At trial, Hopson claimed the two had consensual sex, but jurors didn't believe him. Fulton County prosecutor Ash Joshi argued that Hopson met the victim and offered her a drink, which he said may have contained the "date rape" drug.
Joshi said the victim began to lose control of her body and remembered being carried away from the party area by the defendant. The victim said she drifted in and out of consciousness while she was being raped at a restricted area behind a McDonald's restaurant at the zoo.
A zoo employee passed by and saw the defendant pulling up his pants and leaving the area, while the victim remained on the ground motionless, Joshi said. The victim remained unconscious and suffered violent convulsions. She was rushed to a hospital emergency room.
While the victim was at the hospital, Atlanta police arrested Hopson, who hadn't left the party.
The heartlessness of these brutal rapists is astonishing. Imagine drugging and viciously raping a woman, then returning to a party as if nothing had happened.
Man faces life for rape of Lawrenceville woman
December 17, 2004
A Jackson man faces up to life in prison for raping a Lawrenceville woman during an after-hours event at Zoo Atlanta. Jason Hopson, 23, is scheduled to be sentenced next month for raping a 21-year-old after the two met at a Q100 radio station party at the zoo June 18.
At trial, Hopson claimed the two had consensual sex, but jurors didn't believe him. Fulton County prosecutor Ash Joshi argued that Hopson met the victim and offered her a drink, which he said may have contained the "date rape" drug.
Joshi said the victim began to lose control of her body and remembered being carried away from the party area by the defendant. The victim said she drifted in and out of consciousness while she was being raped at a restricted area behind a McDonald's restaurant at the zoo.
A zoo employee passed by and saw the defendant pulling up his pants and leaving the area, while the victim remained on the ground motionless, Joshi said. The victim remained unconscious and suffered violent convulsions. She was rushed to a hospital emergency room.
While the victim was at the hospital, Atlanta police arrested Hopson, who hadn't left the party.
The heartlessness of these brutal rapists is astonishing. Imagine drugging and viciously raping a woman, then returning to a party as if nothing had happened.
Ecstasy Sends Six to ER in England
I continue to worry that prevalent Ecstasy use in Europe and Australia will spread to the US. It's stories like this that worry me, from Lancaster, England:
Police vow to catch drug dealers
December 18, 2004
POLICE today vowed to track down the drug dealers targeting teenagers with killer drug ecstasy. Education bosses have pledged to work with the teachers and police officers after six pupils at Witton Park High School business and enterprise college ... were taken to hospital after taking ecstasy.
Ambulance crews called to deal with the six -- who spent a night in hospital before being released on Wednesday -- informed police whose investigation led to two 14-year-old girls being arrested on suspicion of supplying drugs. A quantity of tablets were seized at the school.
Police vow to catch drug dealers
December 18, 2004
POLICE today vowed to track down the drug dealers targeting teenagers with killer drug ecstasy. Education bosses have pledged to work with the teachers and police officers after six pupils at Witton Park High School business and enterprise college ... were taken to hospital after taking ecstasy.
Ambulance crews called to deal with the six -- who spent a night in hospital before being released on Wednesday -- informed police whose investigation led to two 14-year-old girls being arrested on suspicion of supplying drugs. A quantity of tablets were seized at the school.
Yikes!
In an interview in The (Sydney, Australia) Daily Telegraph, actor Colin Farrell details his weekly drug use when he was 17:
Last year Farrell hinted about this other side in an interview with a British magazine in which he spoke about a visit to a psychologist as a 17-year-old.
"I ended up on a shrink's couch and he told me to write down how much I did in a week," Farrell said in the interview. "Twenty E's [Ecstasy pills], four grams of coke, six of speed, half an ounce of hash, three bottles of Jack Daniels, 12 bottles of red wine, 60 pints [of beer] and 280 [cigarettes]. He looked at me and said 'No wonder you're depressed'.
Unfortunately, the article never mentions whether Farrell has sworn off his dangerous ways. It's a shame the article ran as it did, because it does little to discourage fans from following Farrell's dangerous path.
Last year Farrell hinted about this other side in an interview with a British magazine in which he spoke about a visit to a psychologist as a 17-year-old.
"I ended up on a shrink's couch and he told me to write down how much I did in a week," Farrell said in the interview. "Twenty E's [Ecstasy pills], four grams of coke, six of speed, half an ounce of hash, three bottles of Jack Daniels, 12 bottles of red wine, 60 pints [of beer] and 280 [cigarettes]. He looked at me and said 'No wonder you're depressed'.
Unfortunately, the article never mentions whether Farrell has sworn off his dangerous ways. It's a shame the article ran as it did, because it does little to discourage fans from following Farrell's dangerous path.
Open Dealing Promotes Ecstasy Use
Ecstasy use is so prevalent in some areas that it's as easy to buy as a Bacardi or a Bud at bars and clubs that are popular with the urban young. From The Canadian Press in British Columbia:
Victoria nightclub sting yields cocaine and ecstasy, police arrest 16
December 18, 2004
Undercover police had no problem buying cocaine and ecstasy at five downtown Victoria clubs in a recent sting operation. They were even directed to drug dealers by bouncers and bar staff, said project co-ordinator Sgt. Les Sylven.
Police rounded up alleged dealers Friday after an 11-day undercover operation resulted in warrants for the arrest of 16 people for trafficking in controlled substances, Sylven said.
"Our operators, pretty much every time they walked into a bar, they were walking out with cocaine or ecstasy,'' Sylven said.
Victoria nightclub sting yields cocaine and ecstasy, police arrest 16
December 18, 2004
Undercover police had no problem buying cocaine and ecstasy at five downtown Victoria clubs in a recent sting operation. They were even directed to drug dealers by bouncers and bar staff, said project co-ordinator Sgt. Les Sylven.
Police rounded up alleged dealers Friday after an 11-day undercover operation resulted in warrants for the arrest of 16 people for trafficking in controlled substances, Sylven said.
"Our operators, pretty much every time they walked into a bar, they were walking out with cocaine or ecstasy,'' Sylven said.
The Best Prayer ...
I got this prayer from a friend and would like to share it with you:
The Best Prayer I Have Heard in a Long Time
Heavenly Father, help us remember that the jerk who cut us off in traffic last night is a single mother who worked nine hours that day and was rushing home to cook dinner, help with the homework, do the laundry and spend a few precious moments with her children.
Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can't make change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student, balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his student loans for next semester.
Remind us, Lord, that the scary looking bum, begging for money in the same spot every day (who really ought to get a job!) is a slave to addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares.
Help us to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slow through the store aisles and blocking our shopping progress are savoring this moment, knowing that, based on the biopsy report she got back last week, this will be the last year that they go shopping together.
Heavenly Father, remind us each day that, of all the gifts you give us, the greatest gift is love. It is not enough to share that love with those we hold dear. Open our hearts not to just those who are close to us, but to all humanity. Let us be slow to judge and quick to forgive, show patience, empathy and love.
Amen!
The Best Prayer I Have Heard in a Long Time
Heavenly Father, help us remember that the jerk who cut us off in traffic last night is a single mother who worked nine hours that day and was rushing home to cook dinner, help with the homework, do the laundry and spend a few precious moments with her children.
Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can't make change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student, balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his student loans for next semester.
Remind us, Lord, that the scary looking bum, begging for money in the same spot every day (who really ought to get a job!) is a slave to addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares.
Help us to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slow through the store aisles and blocking our shopping progress are savoring this moment, knowing that, based on the biopsy report she got back last week, this will be the last year that they go shopping together.
Heavenly Father, remind us each day that, of all the gifts you give us, the greatest gift is love. It is not enough to share that love with those we hold dear. Open our hearts not to just those who are close to us, but to all humanity. Let us be slow to judge and quick to forgive, show patience, empathy and love.
Amen!
Saturday, December 11, 2004
Red Mitsubishi Repackaging Hides PMA
I've heard kids say taking Ecstasy can be less risky if you buy from a dealer you know and trust. Sorry, but people who make a living selling drugs aren't to be trusted. In fact, here's case where the word is getting out that unscrupulous dealers were selling PMA -- much more dangerous than Ecstasy -- as "Red Mistubishis." As sales dropped, rather than dump the dangerous PMA, they simply ground it up and repackaged it.
Sunday Mail
December 5, 2004
RAVE DANGERS;RED MITSUBISHI 'REBADGED'
DOCTORS fear a deadly designer drug responsible for recent deaths is being rebadged by backyard manufacturers to trick users. It is understood drug makers are changing the logo and shade of the dangerous Red Mitsubishi pill so users think they are taking a less potent drug.
Royal Adelaide Hospital research fellow Dr David Caldicott said he was concerned the pills were being "recrushed and sold" as other labels, including a pill with a "Red Crown" logo. He said users were then oblivious to the drug's dangers, which have received widespread media coverage.
"We have spoken to two independent sources, both of whom have expressed concerns this week that Red Mitsubishis have been crushed," Dr Caldicott said.
Sunday Mail
December 5, 2004
RAVE DANGERS;RED MITSUBISHI 'REBADGED'
DOCTORS fear a deadly designer drug responsible for recent deaths is being rebadged by backyard manufacturers to trick users. It is understood drug makers are changing the logo and shade of the dangerous Red Mitsubishi pill so users think they are taking a less potent drug.
Royal Adelaide Hospital research fellow Dr David Caldicott said he was concerned the pills were being "recrushed and sold" as other labels, including a pill with a "Red Crown" logo. He said users were then oblivious to the drug's dangers, which have received widespread media coverage.
"We have spoken to two independent sources, both of whom have expressed concerns this week that Red Mitsubishis have been crushed," Dr Caldicott said.
Anti-Depressants Increase Ecstasy Risk
As prescriptions for anti-depressants increase among young people, this story takes on profound signficance. Ecstasy and anti-depressants, used together, can lead to seratonin syndrome, which can be fatal.
The Advertiser
December 6, 2004
Warning on deadly mixtures
DEPRESSED South Australian teenagers are risking death by mixing prescribed anti-depressant medicine with the illicit drug ecstasy. Most are unaware they are doing it, according to National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre communications manager Paul Dillon.
More than 20,000 South Australians under the age of 20 were prescribed anti-depressants in 2003, Health Insurance Commission figures show. One in 20 teenagers also had used ecstasy in the past 12 months the 2001 National Drug Survey shows.
"There are people who are on anti-depressants who are going out every weekend and using ecstasy and who don't know the risks," Mr Dillon said. He said the combination of the drugs could lead to serotonin syndrome.
Serotonin syndrome is a toxic condition which can be fatal. Death can occur rapidly. Symptoms include: euphoria, drowsiness, sustained rapid eye movement, overreaction of reflexes, sweating, muscle twitching and high body temperature.
The Advertiser
December 6, 2004
Warning on deadly mixtures
DEPRESSED South Australian teenagers are risking death by mixing prescribed anti-depressant medicine with the illicit drug ecstasy. Most are unaware they are doing it, according to National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre communications manager Paul Dillon.
More than 20,000 South Australians under the age of 20 were prescribed anti-depressants in 2003, Health Insurance Commission figures show. One in 20 teenagers also had used ecstasy in the past 12 months the 2001 National Drug Survey shows.
"There are people who are on anti-depressants who are going out every weekend and using ecstasy and who don't know the risks," Mr Dillon said. He said the combination of the drugs could lead to serotonin syndrome.
Serotonin syndrome is a toxic condition which can be fatal. Death can occur rapidly. Symptoms include: euphoria, drowsiness, sustained rapid eye movement, overreaction of reflexes, sweating, muscle twitching and high body temperature.
200+ Ecstasy Deaths in UK Since 1996
There have been more than 200 ecstasy related deaths in the UK since 1996, most linked to dehydration as well as liver, kidney and heart problems. Throughout Europe and Australia, Ecstasy deaths keep piling up as well.
Newspapers in England and Australia are full of stories on Ecstasy death, massive Ecstasy use, and huge Ecstasy busts. I believe the European papers are bursting with the same kind of stories, but I just read the English-language ones. And worse, I believe that it's just a matter of time before Ecstasy use will begin to expand dramatically throughout the United States.
There is also no reason to assume that GHB won't become more popular. It is inexpensive, powerful, addictive and could easily become a new crack cocaine.
I made my film to try to forestall this flood, and many others are working hard to do the same. I hope it's enough, but it gets discouraging.
Newspapers in England and Australia are full of stories on Ecstasy death, massive Ecstasy use, and huge Ecstasy busts. I believe the European papers are bursting with the same kind of stories, but I just read the English-language ones. And worse, I believe that it's just a matter of time before Ecstasy use will begin to expand dramatically throughout the United States.
There is also no reason to assume that GHB won't become more popular. It is inexpensive, powerful, addictive and could easily become a new crack cocaine.
I made my film to try to forestall this flood, and many others are working hard to do the same. I hope it's enough, but it gets discouraging.
Hmmmm ...
I wonder if this would deter drug dealers ... (From the Daily Telegraph in Sydney)
Ringleader Phung Duc Thinh, 34, and his five associates Ha Minh Trung, 31; Le Duc Thang, 39; Tran Xuan An, 32; and Nguyen Huynh Hung and Vo Van Hung, both 44, were condemned to death after being convicted of trafficking 33kg of heroin and 1000 tablets of Ecstasy between June 1998 and November 2000, he said.
Ringleader Phung Duc Thinh, 34, and his five associates Ha Minh Trung, 31; Le Duc Thang, 39; Tran Xuan An, 32; and Nguyen Huynh Hung and Vo Van Hung, both 44, were condemned to death after being convicted of trafficking 33kg of heroin and 1000 tablets of Ecstasy between June 1998 and November 2000, he said.
PMA Surfaces in Australia Deaths
Steven Lorenz died when a dealer sold him PMA (peramethoxyamphetamine) as Ecstasy. His temperature sored to 108 degrees, his organs melted, and he died. In my film, his Dad says that when he touched his son's body a few hours later, he was still hot to the touch.
Now, sadly, it's happened again in Australia. If you scroll though the last few week's postings, you'll find several stories about Red Mitsubishi Ecstasy, which is actually PMA and is leaving a trail of death Down Under.
The Advertiser
December 8, 2004
Police find 'death' drug
Police have cracked an organised drug ring in South Australia which is potentially more lethal than even the dealers themselves imagined. Forensic tests have revealed what Adelaide dealers thought was ecstasy is actually PMA (paramethoxyamphetamine) - known on the streets as "Death".
"Now the drug dealers have their own drugs mixed up - it's Russian roulette," Detective Chief Inspector Peter Harvey said yesterday. "The people who were in custody of them believe they are Red Mitsubishi - ecstasy - (but) forensic analysis shows without question they're PMA."
The discovery comes as the life-support system of a man, 19, from Keith was turned off at Flinders Medical Centre yesterday after a drug overdose. His death is suspected to be the result of an overdose of Red Mitsubishi. His body overheated and went into "muscle meltdown" and hospital staff immersed him in ice to reduce his temperature before he was transferred to Adelaide last Monday.
Now, sadly, it's happened again in Australia. If you scroll though the last few week's postings, you'll find several stories about Red Mitsubishi Ecstasy, which is actually PMA and is leaving a trail of death Down Under.
The Advertiser
December 8, 2004
Police find 'death' drug
Police have cracked an organised drug ring in South Australia which is potentially more lethal than even the dealers themselves imagined. Forensic tests have revealed what Adelaide dealers thought was ecstasy is actually PMA (paramethoxyamphetamine) - known on the streets as "Death".
"Now the drug dealers have their own drugs mixed up - it's Russian roulette," Detective Chief Inspector Peter Harvey said yesterday. "The people who were in custody of them believe they are Red Mitsubishi - ecstasy - (but) forensic analysis shows without question they're PMA."
The discovery comes as the life-support system of a man, 19, from Keith was turned off at Flinders Medical Centre yesterday after a drug overdose. His death is suspected to be the result of an overdose of Red Mitsubishi. His body overheated and went into "muscle meltdown" and hospital staff immersed him in ice to reduce his temperature before he was transferred to Adelaide last Monday.
Ecstasy: Try and Die
The victim in this sad story used Ecstasy one time. She didn't have a chance to get addicted, she didn't have a chance to go into recovery. Instead, she died.
Richmond (Virginia) Times Dispatch
December 10, 2004
MAN GETS 19 MONTHS IN FRIEND'S DRUG DEATH
A man who failed to seek medical help for a friend after he gave her the drug Ecstasy was sentenced to 19 months in prison for the woman's death. Jorge E. Aguirre, 22, of Houston, was sentenced Wednesday after pleading guilty in October to involuntary manslaughter and drug distribution.
The former sailor passed out the drugs to his Navy friends in February 2003 and 18-year-old Dominique Womble died from what investigators said was her first experience with the illegal stimulant. Womble became ill during an evening of clubbing, suffering seizures and vomiting, and was found dead the next morning in a motel room the sailors had gotten for the night.
Richmond (Virginia) Times Dispatch
December 10, 2004
MAN GETS 19 MONTHS IN FRIEND'S DRUG DEATH
A man who failed to seek medical help for a friend after he gave her the drug Ecstasy was sentenced to 19 months in prison for the woman's death. Jorge E. Aguirre, 22, of Houston, was sentenced Wednesday after pleading guilty in October to involuntary manslaughter and drug distribution.
The former sailor passed out the drugs to his Navy friends in February 2003 and 18-year-old Dominique Womble died from what investigators said was her first experience with the illegal stimulant. Womble became ill during an evening of clubbing, suffering seizures and vomiting, and was found dead the next morning in a motel room the sailors had gotten for the night.
Saturday, December 04, 2004
Lives Ruined by Ecstasy
Ecstasy ruins lives in many ways. When this man graduated from dental school, I doubt he ever thought ecstasy would leave his life in shambles.
The Morning Call (Allentown, PA)
December 4, 2004
Dentist sentenced in Ecstasy ring
A Bangor dentist convicted of participating in what officials call one of the largest Ecstasy rings in the nation will spend up to 41 months in prison. Michael Pacifico, 51, of 371 Farmhouse Road, Bushkill Township, maintained his innocence at his sentencing hearing Friday and criticized the state attorney general's office, which investigated and prosecuted the case.
Pacifico ... asked Northampton County Judge F.P. Kimberly McFadden to overturn the guilty verdicts returned by a jury after trial in September. "In my eyes, I have been ambushed," he said.
McFadden imposed a county prison sentence of 15 to 41 months, fined Pacifico $2,250 and ordered that he perform 100 hours of community service. Pacifico is to begin his prison term Dec. 27. Pacifico will, by state statute, lose his dentistry license for 10 years.
The Morning Call (Allentown, PA)
December 4, 2004
Dentist sentenced in Ecstasy ring
A Bangor dentist convicted of participating in what officials call one of the largest Ecstasy rings in the nation will spend up to 41 months in prison. Michael Pacifico, 51, of 371 Farmhouse Road, Bushkill Township, maintained his innocence at his sentencing hearing Friday and criticized the state attorney general's office, which investigated and prosecuted the case.
Pacifico ... asked Northampton County Judge F.P. Kimberly McFadden to overturn the guilty verdicts returned by a jury after trial in September. "In my eyes, I have been ambushed," he said.
McFadden imposed a county prison sentence of 15 to 41 months, fined Pacifico $2,250 and ordered that he perform 100 hours of community service. Pacifico is to begin his prison term Dec. 27. Pacifico will, by state statute, lose his dentistry license for 10 years.
GHB Date Rapes in Iowa
Creeps are everywhere. Note that one of the victims is a man. Many men don't think they are at risk for date rape. Sales of my film will help support the production of my next film, which will include the story of Kyle, who was murdered by GHB by his college roomate.
From the Telegraph Herald in Platteville, Wisconsin
December 2, 2004
'Date rape' drug use likely; Authorities probe 3 similar incidents in Platteville in the past month'
An investigation into the use of a suspected "date rape" drug is under way in Platteville. Authorities from the Iowa-Grant Drug Task Force and the Platteville Police Department seek the public's help in solving three incidents in the past month.
All three victims, two women and a man all in their early 20s, reported they were drinking at downtown Platteville bars when someone put something in their drink. After regaining their senses several hours later, the victims were very ill and unable to remember a significant period of time.
Sgt. Scott Marquardt, of the Grant and Iowa Drug Task Force, said the two women believe that some type of sexual contact occurred, but had no recollection of the act. "They had no idea if they were raped or if it was consensual," he said. "They had no memory of the incident, but what did come through was that they probably had sex. That's one level of the seriousness."
Another level of seriousness, Marquardt said, is that very high doses of one the "date rape" drugs, GHB (gamma hydroxy butyrate), mixed with alcohol can cause a coma. [Note: Death is also an unintended side effect of GHB.]
From the Telegraph Herald in Platteville, Wisconsin
December 2, 2004
'Date rape' drug use likely; Authorities probe 3 similar incidents in Platteville in the past month'
An investigation into the use of a suspected "date rape" drug is under way in Platteville. Authorities from the Iowa-Grant Drug Task Force and the Platteville Police Department seek the public's help in solving three incidents in the past month.
All three victims, two women and a man all in their early 20s, reported they were drinking at downtown Platteville bars when someone put something in their drink. After regaining their senses several hours later, the victims were very ill and unable to remember a significant period of time.
Sgt. Scott Marquardt, of the Grant and Iowa Drug Task Force, said the two women believe that some type of sexual contact occurred, but had no recollection of the act. "They had no idea if they were raped or if it was consensual," he said. "They had no memory of the incident, but what did come through was that they probably had sex. That's one level of the seriousness."
Another level of seriousness, Marquardt said, is that very high doses of one the "date rape" drugs, GHB (gamma hydroxy butyrate), mixed with alcohol can cause a coma. [Note: Death is also an unintended side effect of GHB.]
Tuesday, November 30, 2004
Ecstasy Dangers Confirmed by NIDA
The director of NIDA, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, makes no bones about it in her most recent message: Ecstasy use is dangerous. I don't think she's gone far enough. The stories on this blog and in my film (particularly Cathy, who had only ecstasy and a little alcohol in her system when she died) prove that ecstasy is a killer.
Years of Animal Research Proves MDMA ("Ecstasy") Can Damage Neurons; MDMA's Effects on the Human Brain Are Being Studied
Myths abound about the short-term and long-term consequences of use of MDMA, often called Ecstasy. MDMA is not new to the scientific community. Over 15 years of research conducted on animals has proven that MDMA damages specific neurons in the brain. Because of the difficulties of conducting similar research in humans, conclusive evidence of neurotoxicity in humans has not yet been established. However, a variety of studies have shown that some chronic, heavy users of MDMA have cognitive deficits.
As the director of a public health agency, my priority is the public's health and my responsibility is to share accurate and timely information about drugs of abuse. There is still much we do not know about the effects of MDMA in humans; however, given what we do know from studies of MDMA in animals, we conclude that MDMA is not a benign drug and has the potential for serious, adverse effects.
Sincerely,
Nora D. Volkow, M.D. Director
Years of Animal Research Proves MDMA ("Ecstasy") Can Damage Neurons; MDMA's Effects on the Human Brain Are Being Studied
Myths abound about the short-term and long-term consequences of use of MDMA, often called Ecstasy. MDMA is not new to the scientific community. Over 15 years of research conducted on animals has proven that MDMA damages specific neurons in the brain. Because of the difficulties of conducting similar research in humans, conclusive evidence of neurotoxicity in humans has not yet been established. However, a variety of studies have shown that some chronic, heavy users of MDMA have cognitive deficits.
As the director of a public health agency, my priority is the public's health and my responsibility is to share accurate and timely information about drugs of abuse. There is still much we do not know about the effects of MDMA in humans; however, given what we do know from studies of MDMA in animals, we conclude that MDMA is not a benign drug and has the potential for serious, adverse effects.
Sincerely,
Nora D. Volkow, M.D. Director
Monday, November 29, 2004
Rave Death in LA; Heroin in Norway
Today's LA Times had two stories that show just how crazy the drug culture -- and society's misdirected efforts to deal with it -- are.
First, (here) was a story about a teen shooting people at a rave in LA. After injuring three party-goers, he was shot and killed by one of many police officers who had arrived at the scene to try to get control of a party gone wild. Ecstacy, and the rave scene in general, continues to get a pass from media and regulators, but it is, at its heart, typical of all drug scenes: dark, dangerous and trending towards getting worse. Here's what the Times says about it:
Saturday's fatal shooting was the fifth connected with the illegal parties this year in the 77th Street Division and the second at the same building. But the bashes — and the violence — are common throughout the city.For example, in May, two young men were shot and killed at a flier party in Sylmar. On Sept. 25, two teenagers were shot and killed at a flier party in a downtown Los Angeles warehouse. On Nov. 13, two teenage boys were shot and one stabbed at a similar party in the fashion district.
The raves, or "flier parties," are marketed to appeal to base insticts. Once there, the kids can purchase all manner of drugs.
Police said partygoers were buying hits of nitrous oxide, which is inhaled through balloons and produces a narcotic effect. Word of the parties usually starts on campus, where the glossy fliers, sometimes adorned with pictures of half-naked women, DJs and dancers, spread from hand to hand. One flier promoting a Nov. 19 party showed images of condom wrappers and women in provocative poses. It advertised the party as "Panties Dropping."
It is a wonder that Peter Jennings could look at this scene and still do a one-hour special promoting the idea that there's nothing wrong with Ecstasy!
Immediately next to this story on the front page was a story about heroin addiction in Norway (here). Norway, it appears, was slow to respond to a heroin crisis and now is paying the price with deaths rising from 75 in 1990 to 331 in 2001. Liberal policies in dealing with drugs are good and have their place -- treatment should be available, for sure -- but it must be backed with swift and harsh prosecution of dealers.
First, (here) was a story about a teen shooting people at a rave in LA. After injuring three party-goers, he was shot and killed by one of many police officers who had arrived at the scene to try to get control of a party gone wild. Ecstacy, and the rave scene in general, continues to get a pass from media and regulators, but it is, at its heart, typical of all drug scenes: dark, dangerous and trending towards getting worse. Here's what the Times says about it:
Saturday's fatal shooting was the fifth connected with the illegal parties this year in the 77th Street Division and the second at the same building. But the bashes — and the violence — are common throughout the city.For example, in May, two young men were shot and killed at a flier party in Sylmar. On Sept. 25, two teenagers were shot and killed at a flier party in a downtown Los Angeles warehouse. On Nov. 13, two teenage boys were shot and one stabbed at a similar party in the fashion district.
The raves, or "flier parties," are marketed to appeal to base insticts. Once there, the kids can purchase all manner of drugs.
Police said partygoers were buying hits of nitrous oxide, which is inhaled through balloons and produces a narcotic effect. Word of the parties usually starts on campus, where the glossy fliers, sometimes adorned with pictures of half-naked women, DJs and dancers, spread from hand to hand. One flier promoting a Nov. 19 party showed images of condom wrappers and women in provocative poses. It advertised the party as "Panties Dropping."
It is a wonder that Peter Jennings could look at this scene and still do a one-hour special promoting the idea that there's nothing wrong with Ecstasy!
Immediately next to this story on the front page was a story about heroin addiction in Norway (here). Norway, it appears, was slow to respond to a heroin crisis and now is paying the price with deaths rising from 75 in 1990 to 331 in 2001. Liberal policies in dealing with drugs are good and have their place -- treatment should be available, for sure -- but it must be backed with swift and harsh prosecution of dealers.
Thursday, November 25, 2004
An Exceptional Story on GHB Rape
There's a terrific story in The Province newspaper in Canada giving details on what a woman goes through, both short-term and long-term, after being the victim of a drug-assisted rape. It's too long to paste into my blog, but you can read it here. Registration is required. Here's a little of the story; caution some of this may not be appropriate for younger readers:
[Annette Orango] got up to use the facilities, returned to the table she was sharing with the man and his friends, and finished her drink. The next thing she remembers is waking up at 10:30 the following morning.
Curiously, the first thing she noticed was the odd way her shoes were positioned on the floor, standing on edge against the wall. Then she realized she was topless.
"I never sleep topless," she says. "I stumbled to the bathroom and there was vomit on the floor and I didn't remember being sick or even coming home." I looked down and there was bruising on the insides of my legs, a hand print on my left leg," she recalls. "I just felt awful and I knew something wasn't right."
Groggy and unnaturally tired, Orango fell back on to her bed and passed out until five that afternoon. She awoke again, still feeling queasy and uneasy. She spent that evening on the phone, talking to family and friends and trying in vain to piece together the lost hours that would never return, the horrible hole that would forever haunt her waking life.
On Thursday, Orango went to her doctor, who immediately sent her to Surrey Memorial Hospital for a rape kit. "They took me into the medical examiner right away," she says. "And had a social worker talking to me."
Orango's blood was drawn for HIV, she was given pills for syphilis and gonorrhoea. Swabs were taken and she was given a shot for Hepatitis B.
"I really felt like I was nothing more than a piece of meat," recalls Orango. "I guess he took me home, unlocked the door and let me in and raped me."
[Annette Orango] got up to use the facilities, returned to the table she was sharing with the man and his friends, and finished her drink. The next thing she remembers is waking up at 10:30 the following morning.
Curiously, the first thing she noticed was the odd way her shoes were positioned on the floor, standing on edge against the wall. Then she realized she was topless.
"I never sleep topless," she says. "I stumbled to the bathroom and there was vomit on the floor and I didn't remember being sick or even coming home." I looked down and there was bruising on the insides of my legs, a hand print on my left leg," she recalls. "I just felt awful and I knew something wasn't right."
Groggy and unnaturally tired, Orango fell back on to her bed and passed out until five that afternoon. She awoke again, still feeling queasy and uneasy. She spent that evening on the phone, talking to family and friends and trying in vain to piece together the lost hours that would never return, the horrible hole that would forever haunt her waking life.
On Thursday, Orango went to her doctor, who immediately sent her to Surrey Memorial Hospital for a rape kit. "They took me into the medical examiner right away," she says. "And had a social worker talking to me."
Orango's blood was drawn for HIV, she was given pills for syphilis and gonorrhoea. Swabs were taken and she was given a shot for Hepatitis B.
"I really felt like I was nothing more than a piece of meat," recalls Orango. "I guess he took me home, unlocked the door and let me in and raped me."
Another Murder by GHB
GHB is a truly awful drug. For those who take it willfully, there is the risk addiction, destroyed lives and death. It is often used for drug-assisted rape. And, much less publicized, it is used as a murder weapon. Here's a story on murder by GHB from England; I'm skipping to the crux of it:
The Guardian (London), November 10, 2004
Father of murdered family 'forced' to sign away firm before vanishing
Three men who held a businessman prisoner forced him to sign over his company and make reassuring phone calls to relatives and colleagues before they murdered him, a jury at the Old Bailey heard yesterday. But Amarjit Chohan's captors had already killed his wife, infant sons and mother-in-law by the time they finally killed him, the prosecution maintained.
The Crown alleges that Kenneth Regan, a convicted drug dealer and the ringleader of the plot, wanted to seize control of Mr Chohan's firm CIBA Freight and use it to import hard drugs. The rest of his family were murdered so that it would look as if they had all moved abroad voluntarily.
Following their disappearance, Mr Regan produced a document signed by Mr Chohan, granting power of attorney to two staff members, and a handwritten letter claiming he had illegally exported a drug called qat to the United States.
The letter, which has since disappeared, apparently read: "Greed has got the better of me . . . I've got myself in serious trouble. Some people are after me and I have to escape. I fear for the safety of my family."
Mr Regan, 55, of Wilton, Wiltshire; William Horncy, 52, of Bournemouth; and Peter Rees, 39, of Rowlands Castle, Hampshire, deny the unlawful imprisonment and murder of Mr Chohan, 45, also known as Anil. They also deny the murders of Nancy Chohan, 24; Devinder, 18 months, and Ravinder, two months, as well as Mrs Chohan's mother, Charanjit Kaur, 51, who was staying with the family.
All five vanished in February last year and Mr Chohan's body was pulled from the sea two months later.He had been gagged with packing tape and his blood showed an unusually high level of gammahydroxybutrate - known as GHB ....
The Guardian (London), November 10, 2004
Father of murdered family 'forced' to sign away firm before vanishing
Three men who held a businessman prisoner forced him to sign over his company and make reassuring phone calls to relatives and colleagues before they murdered him, a jury at the Old Bailey heard yesterday. But Amarjit Chohan's captors had already killed his wife, infant sons and mother-in-law by the time they finally killed him, the prosecution maintained.
The Crown alleges that Kenneth Regan, a convicted drug dealer and the ringleader of the plot, wanted to seize control of Mr Chohan's firm CIBA Freight and use it to import hard drugs. The rest of his family were murdered so that it would look as if they had all moved abroad voluntarily.
Following their disappearance, Mr Regan produced a document signed by Mr Chohan, granting power of attorney to two staff members, and a handwritten letter claiming he had illegally exported a drug called qat to the United States.
The letter, which has since disappeared, apparently read: "Greed has got the better of me . . . I've got myself in serious trouble. Some people are after me and I have to escape. I fear for the safety of my family."
Mr Regan, 55, of Wilton, Wiltshire; William Horncy, 52, of Bournemouth; and Peter Rees, 39, of Rowlands Castle, Hampshire, deny the unlawful imprisonment and murder of Mr Chohan, 45, also known as Anil. They also deny the murders of Nancy Chohan, 24; Devinder, 18 months, and Ravinder, two months, as well as Mrs Chohan's mother, Charanjit Kaur, 51, who was staying with the family.
All five vanished in February last year and Mr Chohan's body was pulled from the sea two months later.He had been gagged with packing tape and his blood showed an unusually high level of gammahydroxybutrate - known as GHB ....
Everything You Need to Know About Date Rape
Thank you Kelly Robinson of the Guardian newspaper in Prince Edward Islan, Canada for an excellent story on the terrifying prevalence of date assisted rape. Here's the frightening facts:
Youth are particularly vulnerable to date rape, with women aged 16- 24 comprising the majority of victims. Shockingly, the New York University at Buffalo website cites a study that found that one in 15 university aged men polled admitted to having forced a woman to have sex. And in a Canadian study cited by the Ontario Women's Directorate, 60 per cent of polled university aged men said they would commit sexual assault if they knew they could get away with it.
While many victims are forced to engage in sexual activities through coercion, threats, guilt-trips, physical violence and pressure, a popular means of committing date rape is through the use of alcohol and drugs. While many different substances can be used to sexually assault, three drugs are used most often: GHB, Ketamine, and Rohypnol. These substances are used to assault people at clubs, at house parties, at bars and on dates.
Easily dissolved in alcoholic drinks, soft drinks and juices, these drugs are difficult to detect without chemically testing the drinks. There is often no taste, no smell and no discolouration to alert the victim. These drugs cause dizziness, blackouts, sleepiness, forgetfulness, immobility and increased drunkenness. These drugs, especially when mixed with alcohol, can be extremely harmful and may even cause coma or death.
It is not always possible to prevent or stop date rape. If you have been assaulted, it is not your fault. These are some steps to take to prevent date rape [applicable to men too, because they are also victims sometimes]:
Youth are particularly vulnerable to date rape, with women aged 16- 24 comprising the majority of victims. Shockingly, the New York University at Buffalo website cites a study that found that one in 15 university aged men polled admitted to having forced a woman to have sex. And in a Canadian study cited by the Ontario Women's Directorate, 60 per cent of polled university aged men said they would commit sexual assault if they knew they could get away with it.
While many victims are forced to engage in sexual activities through coercion, threats, guilt-trips, physical violence and pressure, a popular means of committing date rape is through the use of alcohol and drugs. While many different substances can be used to sexually assault, three drugs are used most often: GHB, Ketamine, and Rohypnol. These substances are used to assault people at clubs, at house parties, at bars and on dates.
Easily dissolved in alcoholic drinks, soft drinks and juices, these drugs are difficult to detect without chemically testing the drinks. There is often no taste, no smell and no discolouration to alert the victim. These drugs cause dizziness, blackouts, sleepiness, forgetfulness, immobility and increased drunkenness. These drugs, especially when mixed with alcohol, can be extremely harmful and may even cause coma or death.
It is not always possible to prevent or stop date rape. If you have been assaulted, it is not your fault. These are some steps to take to prevent date rape [applicable to men too, because they are also victims sometimes]:
- Never leave your drinks unattended;
- Go to clubs with friends;
- Provide your own transportation;
- Mix or get your own drinks from the bartender;
- Do not drink from punch bowls at house parties;
- Ask the bar/campus staff if they provide date rape drug tester cards /coasters;
- Avoid secluded places and never leave a club with someone you do not know well;
- Always stay with someone if she or he is acting different or seems drugged;
- Set and express clear sexual limits;
- Trust your gut feelings;
- Make 'a scene' if you have to.
What men can do:
- Educate yourself and your friends about date rape and date rape drugs [learn how dangerous they are, as well as the legal consequences];
- Be certain that your partner is sober and has consented to sex before continuing;
- If you're getting mixed messages, stop and ask for clarification;
- Refuse to accept it if someone talks about pressuring women/men into sex;
- Refuse to tell or laugh at jokes about rape or sexual assault;
- Refuse to purchase or condone pornography depicting rape.
Sunday, November 21, 2004
Here's a New Drug Threat: BZP
This just in from New Zealand:
Herbal party pill highs lay at least 50 people low
At least 50 people -- some as young as 15 -- have been poisoned or put at risk by "herbal party pills" in the past two years.
Figures released by the National Poisons Centre show drug experts have received 90 inquiries in that time relating to legal party pills containing Benzylpiperazine(BZP). At least 50 people were poisoned, or sick from the drug.
The pills, which are sold on the street under names like Charge, Herbal Speed, Exodus, Rapture and Herbal High, have a mild hallucinogenic-amphetamine effect, similar to that of illegal drugs like P, speed and ecstasy. Users of BZP typically become euphoric, but can become agitated or suffer vomiting, abdominal pain, seizures and abnormal heart rhythms.
Herbal party pill highs lay at least 50 people low
At least 50 people -- some as young as 15 -- have been poisoned or put at risk by "herbal party pills" in the past two years.
Figures released by the National Poisons Centre show drug experts have received 90 inquiries in that time relating to legal party pills containing Benzylpiperazine(BZP). At least 50 people were poisoned, or sick from the drug.
The pills, which are sold on the street under names like Charge, Herbal Speed, Exodus, Rapture and Herbal High, have a mild hallucinogenic-amphetamine effect, similar to that of illegal drugs like P, speed and ecstasy. Users of BZP typically become euphoric, but can become agitated or suffer vomiting, abdominal pain, seizures and abnormal heart rhythms.
Saturday, November 20, 2004
From England, a Parent's Rage
Once again, a family is sentenced to a lifetime of pain and an Ecstasy murderer will be out of prison in a few years. What sadness! What a crime!
You murderer you took my lovely son
A 17-year-old Ewell boy convicted of killing teenager Michael O'Connor faced a torrent of rage from the victim's distraught father after he was told he could be free in less than eight years.
The youth who cannot be named for legal reasons stood just metres away from Mr O'Connor who has the same name as his son as he was sentenced to life imprisonment at the Old Bailey last Friday (November 12). Judge Richard Hawkins QC told the youth who admitted stabbing the teenager while high on ecstasy in Cheam Broadway on May 1 he could be eligible for parole after serving seven-and-a-half years.
Mr O'Connor screamed at his son's killer and was restrained in the court room after he leapt towards the dock shouting: "You murderer. You took my lovely son." He was held on the floor by officers while the public gallery was cleared and the youth taken away to begin his sentence.
... The court had heard in October how the youth had disliked taking ecstasy in the past as it had made him hyperactive and violent. In noting that the youth had taken an ecstasy tablet prior to the stabbing of Mr O'Connor, Judge Hawkins added: "Your mistake was plainly due to the drug you took."
You murderer you took my lovely son
A 17-year-old Ewell boy convicted of killing teenager Michael O'Connor faced a torrent of rage from the victim's distraught father after he was told he could be free in less than eight years.
The youth who cannot be named for legal reasons stood just metres away from Mr O'Connor who has the same name as his son as he was sentenced to life imprisonment at the Old Bailey last Friday (November 12). Judge Richard Hawkins QC told the youth who admitted stabbing the teenager while high on ecstasy in Cheam Broadway on May 1 he could be eligible for parole after serving seven-and-a-half years.
Mr O'Connor screamed at his son's killer and was restrained in the court room after he leapt towards the dock shouting: "You murderer. You took my lovely son." He was held on the floor by officers while the public gallery was cleared and the youth taken away to begin his sentence.
... The court had heard in October how the youth had disliked taking ecstasy in the past as it had made him hyperactive and violent. In noting that the youth had taken an ecstasy tablet prior to the stabbing of Mr O'Connor, Judge Hawkins added: "Your mistake was plainly due to the drug you took."
Despite Drug Deaths, It's On With The Show
Bay Area friends, you may want to go to this public hearing and tell the Board of Directors at the Cow Palace that holding raves in which young people die is NOT the way to solve their financial problems! In my film, experts talk about how fairgrounds and/or rave organizers have been known to turn up heat and turn off water fountains in order to make more profits from the sale of bottled water! I'm not saying this has occurred at the Cow Palace, but people need to know that it is NOT OK to put our kids at risk for money!
San Mateo (CA) County Times
November 18, 2004
New Year's Eve party still on at the Cow Palace
The Cow Palace plans to host a controversial dance party on New Year's Eve, despite pressure from law enforcement and local politicians to stop holding the events.
Almost two years ago, two young men died of drug overdoses at a New Year's Eve party at the state-owned Cow Palace sponsored by the same promoter, CoolWorld Productions of Oakland. More than 100 people, including minors, have been arrested on suspicion of selling and using drugs at two CoolWorld parties at the Cow Palace since the deaths.
CoolWorld Promoter Sason Parry said his company cooperates with police to keep drugs out of the events. "Drugs are a nationwide society problem," Parry said. "They're going to be there and all you can do is do your best. We go beyond the call of duty."
County Supervisor Mike Nevin and Daly City Mayor Sal Torres delivered a letter Monday to the Cow Palace board making the case against the parties and asking the board to reconsider allowing the New Year's event. The letter said that problems arise from "the obvious and extensive use of illegal narcotics at these events and the inherent costs associated with policing them." It also said that allowing minors to attend gives them access to Ecstasy, GHB, Ketamine, LSD and other so-called "club drugs."
The board was scheduled to consider the issue at a meeting today, but it was canceled because several members are out of town, said Michael Wegher, CEO of the state-owned facility. Instead, the board will hold a public hearing on the parties Jan. 19 at 12:30 p.m. Wegher has defended the decision to hold the parties, saying that the Cow Palace needs the money.
San Mateo (CA) County Times
November 18, 2004
New Year's Eve party still on at the Cow Palace
The Cow Palace plans to host a controversial dance party on New Year's Eve, despite pressure from law enforcement and local politicians to stop holding the events.
Almost two years ago, two young men died of drug overdoses at a New Year's Eve party at the state-owned Cow Palace sponsored by the same promoter, CoolWorld Productions of Oakland. More than 100 people, including minors, have been arrested on suspicion of selling and using drugs at two CoolWorld parties at the Cow Palace since the deaths.
CoolWorld Promoter Sason Parry said his company cooperates with police to keep drugs out of the events. "Drugs are a nationwide society problem," Parry said. "They're going to be there and all you can do is do your best. We go beyond the call of duty."
County Supervisor Mike Nevin and Daly City Mayor Sal Torres delivered a letter Monday to the Cow Palace board making the case against the parties and asking the board to reconsider allowing the New Year's event. The letter said that problems arise from "the obvious and extensive use of illegal narcotics at these events and the inherent costs associated with policing them." It also said that allowing minors to attend gives them access to Ecstasy, GHB, Ketamine, LSD and other so-called "club drugs."
The board was scheduled to consider the issue at a meeting today, but it was canceled because several members are out of town, said Michael Wegher, CEO of the state-owned facility. Instead, the board will hold a public hearing on the parties Jan. 19 at 12:30 p.m. Wegher has defended the decision to hold the parties, saying that the Cow Palace needs the money.
Write SF Chronicle About Ecstasy Error!
The San Francisco Chronicle needs to hear from you that it has passed along dangerous and misleading information in an article about the tragic death of Irma Perez, who died at 14 after taking Ecstasy at a sleepover with friends. The article says:
People rarely die from ecstasy use. There are a handful of deaths per year, mainly from severe dehydration. Experts warn that ecstasy, a synthetic hallucinogen that contains methamphetamine, can impair cognitive ability as well as the brain's ability to regulate memory and mood.
Since my first entry in this blog in October, I've recorded 14 Ecstasy deaths -- and that's just by searching English-language media. Certainly that number will double or triple if European and Asian deaths were added! I've included people murdered by someone high on Ecstasy, killed in a car crash when the car is driven by someone high on Ecstasy, and people who have taken Ecstasy and died as a result.
Send a letter to the San Francisco Examiner and tell them the article, titled "Ecstasy death a wake-up call for Belmont," which ran Nov. 19, is wrong and is giving a false sense that Ecstasy is relatively safe. Mention, too, that Ecstasy causes many psychological disorders, and researchers fear its serotonin-stripping characterist will lead to long-term depression.
The Chronicle's letters to the editor address is: letters@sfchronicle.com
People rarely die from ecstasy use. There are a handful of deaths per year, mainly from severe dehydration. Experts warn that ecstasy, a synthetic hallucinogen that contains methamphetamine, can impair cognitive ability as well as the brain's ability to regulate memory and mood.
Since my first entry in this blog in October, I've recorded 14 Ecstasy deaths -- and that's just by searching English-language media. Certainly that number will double or triple if European and Asian deaths were added! I've included people murdered by someone high on Ecstasy, killed in a car crash when the car is driven by someone high on Ecstasy, and people who have taken Ecstasy and died as a result.
Send a letter to the San Francisco Examiner and tell them the article, titled "Ecstasy death a wake-up call for Belmont," which ran Nov. 19, is wrong and is giving a false sense that Ecstasy is relatively safe. Mention, too, that Ecstasy causes many psychological disorders, and researchers fear its serotonin-stripping characterist will lead to long-term depression.
The Chronicle's letters to the editor address is: letters@sfchronicle.com
7 Years for Ecstasy-Caused Fatal Crash
Ecstasy, as a mild hallucigen, causes many driving accidents -- but in this case, it created paranoia in the driver, which led to the tragic crash.
Daily Post (Liverpool)
November 20, 2004,
TEENAGE KILLER DRIVER GETS SEVEN YEARS
A DRUNK-driver took cocktail of drugs and alcohol before crashing into a lamp post and killing his teenage passenger. Adam Hughes, 17, died when the Rover 420 GSI driven by Paul Foreman in Edge Lane, Liverpool, crashed at high speed , Liverpool Crown Court heard yesterday.
Foreman was locked up for seven years after he pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and driving while disqualified. The court heard Adam was trapped in the wreckage after the smash on October 17. Eric Lamb, prosecuting, said 19-year-old Foreman, who had taken Ecstasy and had become paranoid that police were following him, had ignored another passenger's request to slow down as he drove the unroad worthy vehicle at up to 90 mph.
Daily Post (Liverpool)
November 20, 2004,
TEENAGE KILLER DRIVER GETS SEVEN YEARS
A DRUNK-driver took cocktail of drugs and alcohol before crashing into a lamp post and killing his teenage passenger. Adam Hughes, 17, died when the Rover 420 GSI driven by Paul Foreman in Edge Lane, Liverpool, crashed at high speed , Liverpool Crown Court heard yesterday.
Foreman was locked up for seven years after he pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and driving while disqualified. The court heard Adam was trapped in the wreckage after the smash on October 17. Eric Lamb, prosecuting, said 19-year-old Foreman, who had taken Ecstasy and had become paranoid that police were following him, had ignored another passenger's request to slow down as he drove the unroad worthy vehicle at up to 90 mph.
Tuesday, November 16, 2004
Ecstasy "The Hug Drug?" NOT!!
The deep psychological effects of ecstasy are rarely stated. On the Young Adult Version of my film, there's an interview with a young user who says she's so depressed after ecstasy use that she can't leave her mom's side. Now this terrifying story:
St. John's Telegram (Newfoundland)
Dad begs judges to help son
A St. John's father vividly recalls his son's first run-in with the law. No surprise, since it was only three months ago, on Aug. 4 - Regatta Day.
"He said he wanted 40 bucks from his mother to go to the Regatta," Dave (not his real name) says of his 14-year-old son. Neither can be named to protect the identity of his son.
Truth be told, his son was "strung out" on the drug ecstasy and needed the cash for another hit.
Dave wasn't there. He got a call that morning from his ex-wife telling him their son was becoming violent and demanding the money."
He was never in trouble with the law before that," says Dave, struggling to contain his emotions. "But he's gotten so far out of control since then, it's outrageous. Within three months, it's absolute chaos."
His son became so agitated that police were called, and were about to use pepper spray when Dave arrived at his ex-wife's home.
"He was swinging a hockey stick at (the officers') heads. He was completely out to lunch on the drug."
St. John's Telegram (Newfoundland)
Dad begs judges to help son
A St. John's father vividly recalls his son's first run-in with the law. No surprise, since it was only three months ago, on Aug. 4 - Regatta Day.
"He said he wanted 40 bucks from his mother to go to the Regatta," Dave (not his real name) says of his 14-year-old son. Neither can be named to protect the identity of his son.
Truth be told, his son was "strung out" on the drug ecstasy and needed the cash for another hit.
Dave wasn't there. He got a call that morning from his ex-wife telling him their son was becoming violent and demanding the money."
He was never in trouble with the law before that," says Dave, struggling to contain his emotions. "But he's gotten so far out of control since then, it's outrageous. Within three months, it's absolute chaos."
His son became so agitated that police were called, and were about to use pepper spray when Dave arrived at his ex-wife's home.
"He was swinging a hockey stick at (the officers') heads. He was completely out to lunch on the drug."
Another "Red Mitsubishi" Death
Red Mitsubishi Ecstasy tabs have now caused several deaths. Drug users think these drugs are made in pharmaceutical conditions, and it's just not true!
The Advertiser
Ecstasy overdose
A MAN was taken to hospital yesterday after he overdosed on what was believed to be a "Red Mitsubishi" ecstasy tablet. The Flinders Medical Centre did not admit the patient, with staff assessing his condition as satisfactory and sending him home.
Red Mitsubishi caused the death of a 28-year-old Prospect man last month after he overdosed in a North Adelaide motel.
The Advertiser
Ecstasy overdose
A MAN was taken to hospital yesterday after he overdosed on what was believed to be a "Red Mitsubishi" ecstasy tablet. The Flinders Medical Centre did not admit the patient, with staff assessing his condition as satisfactory and sending him home.
Red Mitsubishi caused the death of a 28-year-old Prospect man last month after he overdosed in a North Adelaide motel.
Ecstasy ODs Surge Down Under
If anyone can help us get the word out in Austrailia, please help! Forward this to friends Down Under and ask them to pass it along. People there need to know how dangerous this drug is!
Geelong Advertiser
Paramedics agonise over ecstasy overdoses
GEELONG paramedics are treating at least six ecstasy overdoses a week. About half are taken to Geelong Hospital in a more serious condition, a Geelong emergency worker said in the wake of Australia's largest ecstasy bust in Sydney.
Police seized about$200 million worth of the party drug, readily available in Geelong's pubs and clubs, according to the emergency worker who ranked Geelong's night spots alongside coastal house parties as the region's two ecstasy "hot spots". "
At least three or four ecstasy overdoses would be treated in the hospital each week," the emergency worker said. "About four years ago we might have treated the occasional ecstasy overdose but now we are treating them all the time."
Health services are reluctant to release exact figures, while a police spokesman was unable to give a snapshot of ecstasy use in Geelong. I t is why the Geelong Hospital staff member preferred not to use their name while desperate to warn parents that ecstasy use was rife among 16 to 30-year-olds in Geelong.
The staff member knows because Geelong's doctors are sick of treating the potentially-life threatening symptoms including seizures, heart failure and bleeding on the brain almost every second day and every weekend.
Geelong Advertiser
Paramedics agonise over ecstasy overdoses
GEELONG paramedics are treating at least six ecstasy overdoses a week. About half are taken to Geelong Hospital in a more serious condition, a Geelong emergency worker said in the wake of Australia's largest ecstasy bust in Sydney.
Police seized about$200 million worth of the party drug, readily available in Geelong's pubs and clubs, according to the emergency worker who ranked Geelong's night spots alongside coastal house parties as the region's two ecstasy "hot spots". "
At least three or four ecstasy overdoses would be treated in the hospital each week," the emergency worker said. "About four years ago we might have treated the occasional ecstasy overdose but now we are treating them all the time."
Health services are reluctant to release exact figures, while a police spokesman was unable to give a snapshot of ecstasy use in Geelong. I t is why the Geelong Hospital staff member preferred not to use their name while desperate to warn parents that ecstasy use was rife among 16 to 30-year-olds in Geelong.
The staff member knows because Geelong's doctors are sick of treating the potentially-life threatening symptoms including seizures, heart failure and bleeding on the brain almost every second day and every weekend.
Another Stands Trial for "Ecstasy Murder"
Another Ecstasy death. Behind these court procedings -- and Thank God the Louisiana Supreme Court made the right decision -- is a sad tragedy, a life cut short.
The Advocate (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)
High court reinstates charge; Case involves death during drug use
The Louisiana Supreme Court on Monday reinstated a murder indictment against a man accused of killing a woman by providing her with illegal drugs three years ago. ... Randall Corbett, 33, of Erwinville, was originally indicted in the 2001 death of 32-year-old Marsha Fisher of Baton Rouge.
An East Baton Rouge Parish grand jury indicted Corbett and Heather Smith, 26, of Baton Rouge, on counts of second-degree murder and possession with the intent to distribute Ecstasy.
The Advocate (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)
High court reinstates charge; Case involves death during drug use
The Louisiana Supreme Court on Monday reinstated a murder indictment against a man accused of killing a woman by providing her with illegal drugs three years ago. ... Randall Corbett, 33, of Erwinville, was originally indicted in the 2001 death of 32-year-old Marsha Fisher of Baton Rouge.
An East Baton Rouge Parish grand jury indicted Corbett and Heather Smith, 26, of Baton Rouge, on counts of second-degree murder and possession with the intent to distribute Ecstasy.
Friday, November 12, 2004
International Mob Boss Busted for E
From National Public Radio. Kids, are you SURE you can trust your drug dealer?
ROBERT SIEGEL, host: This week, police in Tel Aviv arrested Israel's most-wanted underworld boss on the basis of an extradition request from the United States. Ze'ev Rosenstein is suspected of organizing the sale of some 700,000 ecstasy tablets in the US. His detention came after a four-year joint investigation by the US Drug Enforcement Agency in Miami and the Israeli police. NPR's Linda Gradstein reports.
LINDA GRADSTEIN reporting: Israeli police have been trying to get Ze'ev Rosenstein for years. In Israel, he is suspected of ordering contract killings and running illegal gambling and prostitution rings.
ROBERT SIEGEL, host: This week, police in Tel Aviv arrested Israel's most-wanted underworld boss on the basis of an extradition request from the United States. Ze'ev Rosenstein is suspected of organizing the sale of some 700,000 ecstasy tablets in the US. His detention came after a four-year joint investigation by the US Drug Enforcement Agency in Miami and the Israeli police. NPR's Linda Gradstein reports.
LINDA GRADSTEIN reporting: Israeli police have been trying to get Ze'ev Rosenstein for years. In Israel, he is suspected of ordering contract killings and running illegal gambling and prostitution rings.
And Kids Think They Can Trust Dealers
From Associated Press:
Arrest made in drive-by shooting in St. Martin
PASCAGOULA, Miss.: A 17-year-old arrested in a weekend drive-by shooting in the St. Martin community was also a suspect in an ongoing narcotics investigation, authorities say.
Francis Nguyen of Biloxi has been charged with shooting into an occupied dwelling following Sunday's investigation into shots fired at a home in St. Martin's Porteaux Bay subdivision, said Capt. James Sears of the Jackson County Sheriff's Department.
On Monday, a search of Nguyen's house resulted in the discovery of more than 680 pills, believed to be the drug ecstasy, as well as a handgun and other drug paraphernalia, authorities said. Nguyen was charged with sale and possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance by the Biloxi police.
Arrest made in drive-by shooting in St. Martin
PASCAGOULA, Miss.: A 17-year-old arrested in a weekend drive-by shooting in the St. Martin community was also a suspect in an ongoing narcotics investigation, authorities say.
Francis Nguyen of Biloxi has been charged with shooting into an occupied dwelling following Sunday's investigation into shots fired at a home in St. Martin's Porteaux Bay subdivision, said Capt. James Sears of the Jackson County Sheriff's Department.
On Monday, a search of Nguyen's house resulted in the discovery of more than 680 pills, believed to be the drug ecstasy, as well as a handgun and other drug paraphernalia, authorities said. Nguyen was charged with sale and possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance by the Biloxi police.
Philly Now A Little Safer
From the Philadelphia Daily News -- and note, this is even more evidence of the global organized crime behind designer drugs:
DEA agents arrest six on drug-smuggling charges
November 11, 2004 : Federal authorities believe they have broken up a local drug network that they say was smuggling large quantities of ecstasy and marijuana from Canada into Philadelphia.
On Sunday, DEA agents arrested six reputed ring members and seized a shipment of some 55,000 ecstasy pills worth about $1 million on the black market. The defendants, including several from Vietnam and two from South America, all Philadelphia-area residents, are to have bail hearings tomorrow in federal court in Philadelphia.
DEA agents arrest six on drug-smuggling charges
November 11, 2004 : Federal authorities believe they have broken up a local drug network that they say was smuggling large quantities of ecstasy and marijuana from Canada into Philadelphia.
On Sunday, DEA agents arrested six reputed ring members and seized a shipment of some 55,000 ecstasy pills worth about $1 million on the black market. The defendants, including several from Vietnam and two from South America, all Philadelphia-area residents, are to have bail hearings tomorrow in federal court in Philadelphia.
More Global Crime, Now With Ketamine
Ketamine is used as a surgical anaesthetic by vets and pediatric surgeons -- and by drug users. In a hospital, the drug is monitored carefully; steet users just snort it. Erin, who is profiled in my film, suffered a severe, permanent and debilitating brain injury when she used it. Here's an interesting story from Taiwan about Ketamine smuggling:
LARGE HAUL OF KETAMINE HIDDEN IN DVD PLAYERS SEIZED
Taipei, Nov. 11: A man was arrested Thursday on charges ofsmuggling 10 kg of ketamine into Taiwan from Malaysia by concealing the drug in DVD players. The man, identified as Hsieh Chung, was intercepted by law enforcement officers ... after he claimed the drugs from customs authorities at Chiang Kai-shek (CKS) International Airport early inthe morning.
The ketamine, which was wrapped in aluminum foil or carbon paperand then hidden in five "hollowed-out" DVD players.
LARGE HAUL OF KETAMINE HIDDEN IN DVD PLAYERS SEIZED
Taipei, Nov. 11: A man was arrested Thursday on charges ofsmuggling 10 kg of ketamine into Taiwan from Malaysia by concealing the drug in DVD players. The man, identified as Hsieh Chung, was intercepted by law enforcement officers ... after he claimed the drugs from customs authorities at Chiang Kai-shek (CKS) International Airport early inthe morning.
The ketamine, which was wrapped in aluminum foil or carbon paperand then hidden in five "hollowed-out" DVD players.
Thursday, November 11, 2004
Ecstasy Part of Global Organized Crime
This news flash from the Associated Press shows how global organized crime networks are behind Ecstasy. Ravers, do you think someone running an illegal lab in Indonesia has yhour health and best interests at heart?
Indonesian police raid ecstasy factory
JAKARTA, Indonesia -- Police were hunting the owner of an ecstasy factory Tuesday after seizing over 80,000 pills in Indonesia's biggest drug bust this year, an officer said.
Police arrested two men during the raid Friday in West Jakarta, but were still looking for the factory owner, who was identified only by the initials BT, said police Col. Ciptono. Aside from the tablets, officers confiscated chemicals and distillation equipment, a press used to make the pills and scales, said Ciptono, who like many Indonesians uses a single name.
"We figured that the facility made 10,000 pills a day," he said.
Indonesian police raid ecstasy factory
JAKARTA, Indonesia -- Police were hunting the owner of an ecstasy factory Tuesday after seizing over 80,000 pills in Indonesia's biggest drug bust this year, an officer said.
Police arrested two men during the raid Friday in West Jakarta, but were still looking for the factory owner, who was identified only by the initials BT, said police Col. Ciptono. Aside from the tablets, officers confiscated chemicals and distillation equipment, a press used to make the pills and scales, said Ciptono, who like many Indonesians uses a single name.
"We figured that the facility made 10,000 pills a day," he said.
Newspaper editorial: No Good Ecstasy!
This editorial in the Melbourne Herald Sun gets it right! Testing Ecstasy at Raves only sends the message that the drug can be safe, and that's a wrong and dangerous message.
No good ecstasy
THE Victorian Government rightly rejects a suggested trial quality-test of ecstasy tablets at a dance party this month. ... Premier Steve Bracks says testing of ecstasy tablets is not government policy.
Two young Victorians died recently, possibly from the effects of ecstasy. In Sydney police have warned that 5000 dangerous ecstasy tablets are on the streets. ...
Federal parliamentary secretary for health Christopher Pyne said: "They (ecstasy tablets) are not safe for consumption in any context; the proposal sends entirely the wrong message." The right message to deliver is that people are foolish to indulge in an illegal drug which has the potential to kill them. Condoning abuse by engaging in official testing is not the way to go.
No good ecstasy
THE Victorian Government rightly rejects a suggested trial quality-test of ecstasy tablets at a dance party this month. ... Premier Steve Bracks says testing of ecstasy tablets is not government policy.
Two young Victorians died recently, possibly from the effects of ecstasy. In Sydney police have warned that 5000 dangerous ecstasy tablets are on the streets. ...
Federal parliamentary secretary for health Christopher Pyne said: "They (ecstasy tablets) are not safe for consumption in any context; the proposal sends entirely the wrong message." The right message to deliver is that people are foolish to indulge in an illegal drug which has the potential to kill them. Condoning abuse by engaging in official testing is not the way to go.
Saturday, November 06, 2004
Let's See More Letters Like This!
Here's an idea: Why don't you send a letter like this to your local paper? Good job, Ned! (From the Desert Sun, in California.)
War on drugs: Be different, choose life
It's exciting. It's rebellious. It kills. Drug use by America's youth is on the rise and the consequences of using drugs seems to escape young users. Here's a list of the life-damaging consequences of the drugs popular with youth today.
Ecstasy: Confusion, depression, anxiety, sleeplessness, shakes, paranoia, elevated blood pressure.
Marijuana: Respiratory infections, impaired memory, panic attacks, chronic bronchitis, frequent chest colds.
Oxycontin: Respiratory depression that can lead to death, restlessness, muscle and bone pain, diarrhea, vomiting.
Methamphetamine: Psychotic behavior, brain damage, paranoia, aggression and mood disturbances.
Cocaine: Severe chest pains, lung trauma, bleeding. Mixing with alcohol increases risk of sudden death.
Heroin: Collapsed veins, infection of the heart lining and valves, abscesses, liver disease, pulmonary complications and pneumonia.
Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB): Unconsciousness, seizures, respiratory depression, coma.
Wake up, young Americans. Drug use leads to self-destructive addiction that will alter and perhaps end your life. Your life is at stake. Don't follow the crowd to oblivion. Choose a drug-free future for yourself.
Ned Millis
War on drugs: Be different, choose life
It's exciting. It's rebellious. It kills. Drug use by America's youth is on the rise and the consequences of using drugs seems to escape young users. Here's a list of the life-damaging consequences of the drugs popular with youth today.
Ecstasy: Confusion, depression, anxiety, sleeplessness, shakes, paranoia, elevated blood pressure.
Marijuana: Respiratory infections, impaired memory, panic attacks, chronic bronchitis, frequent chest colds.
Oxycontin: Respiratory depression that can lead to death, restlessness, muscle and bone pain, diarrhea, vomiting.
Methamphetamine: Psychotic behavior, brain damage, paranoia, aggression and mood disturbances.
Cocaine: Severe chest pains, lung trauma, bleeding. Mixing with alcohol increases risk of sudden death.
Heroin: Collapsed veins, infection of the heart lining and valves, abscesses, liver disease, pulmonary complications and pneumonia.
Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB): Unconsciousness, seizures, respiratory depression, coma.
Wake up, young Americans. Drug use leads to self-destructive addiction that will alter and perhaps end your life. Your life is at stake. Don't follow the crowd to oblivion. Choose a drug-free future for yourself.
Ned Millis
Ecstasy Use Among Native Americans
From the Associated Press:
JAMUL, SAN DIEGO COUNTY - The Jamul Indian Village announced today that it has received a $1.5 million federal grant to help combat the use of "club drugs" in the East County. According to the tribe, the San Diego region is one of the major distribution points of "club drugs," which include Ecstasy, methamphetamine, LSD and other substances commonly associated with all-night dance parties. The money will be used to organize community members, educators, law enforcement and youth into a regionwide coalition to investigate the cause of the problem and identify solutions.
JAMUL, SAN DIEGO COUNTY - The Jamul Indian Village announced today that it has received a $1.5 million federal grant to help combat the use of "club drugs" in the East County. According to the tribe, the San Diego region is one of the major distribution points of "club drugs," which include Ecstasy, methamphetamine, LSD and other substances commonly associated with all-night dance parties. The money will be used to organize community members, educators, law enforcement and youth into a regionwide coalition to investigate the cause of the problem and identify solutions.
Another Light Sentence for a Drug Murderer
Parents, do you know everything you need to know about everyone your kids hang out with? Of course not! Our greatest fear as parents is that someone who seems normal, someone who seems like they'd look out for our kids, turns out to be a monster. That happened to Sara, who's profiled in my film, when a neighborhood boy gave her four ecstasy pills in a scheme to rape her. Instead, he killed her -- she died on Mother's Day morning.
Read below about how the same thing happened to 17-year-old Julie Zdeblick of Madison, Wisconsin. As you read this story, note the penalty her killer received, and compare it to what he could have, and should have, received:
Wisconsin State Journal (Madison, Wisconsin)
November 5, 2004
PAIN-DRUG CONVICTION IS FOR HOMICIDE; HANSEN PLEADED NO CONTEST ON SUPPLYING MEDICATION THAT KILLED JULIE ZDEBLICK
Derek Hansen was convicted of reckless homicide Thursday for supplying the powerful pain medication that killed a Middleton High School student in March.
Hansen, 20, of Middleton, pleaded no contest to first-degree reckless homicide for supplying the Oxycontin that killed Julie Zdeblick, 17, who was found in her bedroom by her mother on March 6. Hansen also entered no contest pleas to eight other drug-related charges involving Oxycontin, ecstasy, amphetamines and marijuana in addition to one count of bail jumping.
As part of a plea agreement, Dane County Assistant District Attorney Corey Stephan will ask that Hansen spend no more than five years in prison. The charges carry penalties of more than 100 years in prison.
Read below about how the same thing happened to 17-year-old Julie Zdeblick of Madison, Wisconsin. As you read this story, note the penalty her killer received, and compare it to what he could have, and should have, received:
Wisconsin State Journal (Madison, Wisconsin)
November 5, 2004
PAIN-DRUG CONVICTION IS FOR HOMICIDE; HANSEN PLEADED NO CONTEST ON SUPPLYING MEDICATION THAT KILLED JULIE ZDEBLICK
Derek Hansen was convicted of reckless homicide Thursday for supplying the powerful pain medication that killed a Middleton High School student in March.
Hansen, 20, of Middleton, pleaded no contest to first-degree reckless homicide for supplying the Oxycontin that killed Julie Zdeblick, 17, who was found in her bedroom by her mother on March 6. Hansen also entered no contest pleas to eight other drug-related charges involving Oxycontin, ecstasy, amphetamines and marijuana in addition to one count of bail jumping.
As part of a plea agreement, Dane County Assistant District Attorney Corey Stephan will ask that Hansen spend no more than five years in prison. The charges carry penalties of more than 100 years in prison.
Thursday, November 04, 2004
Inexpensive GHB Test Possible Soon
Testing for GHB is so expensive that hospitals customarily only order the screen when it is suspected a crime (usually rape) has been committed with the drug. That may change soon.
The newsletter Drug Detection Report (Copyright 2004 Business Publishers, Inc.) says in its October 28 edition:
Researchers at the University of California at Santa Barbara report they are nearing agreement for commercial production of a test for the "date rape" drug GHB. Chemistry Professor Stanley Parsons and Ph.D. candidate Dawn Bravo said the new test uses an enzyme to detect the presence of the drug.
UCSB received a patent for the drug test in March, and has been working to find a company that will bring the drug test to the consumer market. Bravo said it appears that that "we're just about ready to settle with a company," probably within "the next month or two."
Parsons explained that GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate) produces sedation and a trance-like state with loss of memory. Because the drug has little smell or taste, it can be ingested unknowingly and is often administered to victims in their beverages, hence its moniker "date rape" drug. Effects of the drug are reported to range from a mild euphoria to unconsciousness and sometimes death.
This is fantastic news because it means we will be able to gather much more accurate information on the extent of drug use, and attribute many deaths to GHB that would have otherwise been misattributed. This, in turn, will raise awareness of just how dangerous GHB is.
The newsletter Drug Detection Report (Copyright 2004 Business Publishers, Inc.) says in its October 28 edition:
Researchers at the University of California at Santa Barbara report they are nearing agreement for commercial production of a test for the "date rape" drug GHB. Chemistry Professor Stanley Parsons and Ph.D. candidate Dawn Bravo said the new test uses an enzyme to detect the presence of the drug.
UCSB received a patent for the drug test in March, and has been working to find a company that will bring the drug test to the consumer market. Bravo said it appears that that "we're just about ready to settle with a company," probably within "the next month or two."
Parsons explained that GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate) produces sedation and a trance-like state with loss of memory. Because the drug has little smell or taste, it can be ingested unknowingly and is often administered to victims in their beverages, hence its moniker "date rape" drug. Effects of the drug are reported to range from a mild euphoria to unconsciousness and sometimes death.
This is fantastic news because it means we will be able to gather much more accurate information on the extent of drug use, and attribute many deaths to GHB that would have otherwise been misattributed. This, in turn, will raise awareness of just how dangerous GHB is.
Wednesday, November 03, 2004
One Ecstasy Tablet Kills Teen
Note how this article, from the Birmingham, England Financial Times, buys the myth that you have to take a lot of Ecstasy to die from it. They say the youth died from an "overdose," but then says he died after taking ONE PILL.
'ECSTASY' DEATH OF TEENAGE CLUBBER
By MARK COWAN
A TEENAGE clubber died of a suspected drug overdose at a popular city centre dance nightspot, it emerged today. Scott Ollier, aged 18, collapsed while partying with pals at the Air nightclub, in Digbeth. He died later in hospital.
Police are now investigating his death, which is believed to be drugs-related ... it is thought he may have collapsed after taking an ecstasy tablet.
'ECSTASY' DEATH OF TEENAGE CLUBBER
By MARK COWAN
A TEENAGE clubber died of a suspected drug overdose at a popular city centre dance nightspot, it emerged today. Scott Ollier, aged 18, collapsed while partying with pals at the Air nightclub, in Digbeth. He died later in hospital.
Police are now investigating his death, which is believed to be drugs-related ... it is thought he may have collapsed after taking an ecstasy tablet.
Four High on Ecstasy Kill Boy
Just in case you buy the line that Ecstasy is the "hug drug," consider this:
Philadelphia Inquirer
2 held in killing of boy, 12
Pedro Molina was robbed of his radio while sitting on the front steps of his home last month. He was then shot to death.
By Rita Giordano
Nov. 3, 2004 -- Two Camden men were arrested early yesterday in the death of a 12-year-old boy who was shot on his front steps and through his front door during the theft of his radio.Pedro Molina's violent death Oct. 2 in Camden upset many people, who were angered that someone so young was killed for no apparent reason.
Molina was sitting on his front steps at 31 N. 25th St. about 2 a.m., listening to his radio while waiting for his brother to finish a shower so that he could have a turn, when four men approached him, Camden County Prosector Vincent Sarubbi said.
Sarubbi noted that this account differed from earlier ones. All four men were involved in the city's drug trade and high on the drug ecstasy, Sarubbi said.
Philadelphia Inquirer
2 held in killing of boy, 12
Pedro Molina was robbed of his radio while sitting on the front steps of his home last month. He was then shot to death.
By Rita Giordano
Nov. 3, 2004 -- Two Camden men were arrested early yesterday in the death of a 12-year-old boy who was shot on his front steps and through his front door during the theft of his radio.Pedro Molina's violent death Oct. 2 in Camden upset many people, who were angered that someone so young was killed for no apparent reason.
Molina was sitting on his front steps at 31 N. 25th St. about 2 a.m., listening to his radio while waiting for his brother to finish a shower so that he could have a turn, when four men approached him, Camden County Prosector Vincent Sarubbi said.
Sarubbi noted that this account differed from earlier ones. All four men were involved in the city's drug trade and high on the drug ecstasy, Sarubbi said.
Remember This When Ecstasy Stats Come Out
In a month or two, federal drug figures will come out and may well say Ecstasy use has decreased. Don't believe it! Here's an article from the Queensland Courier Mail in Australia -- granted, not the U.S., but I'd be surprised if things are much different here -- that shows just how popular Ecstasy has become.
Ecstasy flood
AUSTRALIA has been flooded with ecstasy in the past year, with Customs officers seizing almost one [one] of the dangerous party drug. Border patrols seized a record 872kg of ecstasy, 709kg of cannabis and 131kg of cocaine, according to the Australian Customs Service's annual report.
As you read that, ask yourself, "How much got through?"
And here's why you don't want it to get through, from Ireland:
KILLED BY ECSTASY AT NO-DRUG CENTRE
LOUISE HOGANBODY
A MAN aged 20 who died on the drug-free wing of a young offenders' centre had huge amounts of ecstasy in his system, an inquest heard yesterday. John Paul Mitchell was discovered dead in bed at St Patrick's Institution in December 2003.
His father Ignatius, who identified his son in the state mortuary, said the condition of the body was awful. ... "You wouldn't do it to a dog. I went over to him and I just broke down."
The court heard John Paul, of Orchard Park, The Curragh, Co Kildare, had not seemed depressed before his death. He had one positive test for amphetamines on September 22 but had 16 clean tests since - including one the day before.
Ecstasy flood
AUSTRALIA has been flooded with ecstasy in the past year, with Customs officers seizing almost one [one] of the dangerous party drug. Border patrols seized a record 872kg of ecstasy, 709kg of cannabis and 131kg of cocaine, according to the Australian Customs Service's annual report.
As you read that, ask yourself, "How much got through?"
And here's why you don't want it to get through, from Ireland:
KILLED BY ECSTASY AT NO-DRUG CENTRE
LOUISE HOGANBODY
A MAN aged 20 who died on the drug-free wing of a young offenders' centre had huge amounts of ecstasy in his system, an inquest heard yesterday. John Paul Mitchell was discovered dead in bed at St Patrick's Institution in December 2003.
His father Ignatius, who identified his son in the state mortuary, said the condition of the body was awful. ... "You wouldn't do it to a dog. I went over to him and I just broke down."
The court heard John Paul, of Orchard Park, The Curragh, Co Kildare, had not seemed depressed before his death. He had one positive test for amphetamines on September 22 but had 16 clean tests since - including one the day before.
Friday, October 29, 2004
Irma Perez' Killer Gets Just 5 Years
Anthony Rivera, 20, the only adult charged in the Bay Area Ecstasy death of 14-year-old Irma Perez has been sentenced to five years. Read the story here.
Irma got a death sentence. Her parents were sentenced to life without their daughter. In a couple years, Rivera will be back on the street ... perhaps selling drugs to junior high students again. What a shame.
Irma and two other 14-year-old girls took Ecstasy at a sleepover. The other two girls survived with only mental scars. (Cathy's Story in my film tells a similar story -- except 38 kids took ecstasy that Prom Night, and only Cathy died.)
Irma got a death sentence. Her parents were sentenced to life without their daughter. In a couple years, Rivera will be back on the street ... perhaps selling drugs to junior high students again. What a shame.
Irma and two other 14-year-old girls took Ecstasy at a sleepover. The other two girls survived with only mental scars. (Cathy's Story in my film tells a similar story -- except 38 kids took ecstasy that Prom Night, and only Cathy died.)
A Victim Who Shares My View
I love what this man says. He absolutely reflects the approach I used in my film, True Stories of Ecstasy & Ketamine -- and as you can see by reading this story, THIS IS AN APPROACH THAT WORKS! This article very accurately reflects the thoughts that were going through my mind as I made the film -- the same Spirit moved us both!
Aberdeen Evening Express
'Treat them like adults and they will respond'
By Paul Betts
I began giving talks on drugs awareness after the death of my daughter. It came about as a result of me being ignorant to drugs and having for the rest of my life the guilt complex that, had I learnt and spoken to her, could I have changed history?
I thought it only fair that other parents and children be given the opportunity. Every single person in society has a role to play and should be educated in relation to drug misuse and abuse.
We carry about with us the stereotypical image of a smelly, spotty drug user, stealing to feed their habit. But it is wrong to think that.You cannot pick a drug user. You can generally identify someone who has been using drugs for a period of time because of the symptoms. But you cannot describe a drug user.
My daughter was well educated, good looking, clean-living and loved. She was at college and wanted to be a teacher. Why would I consider she would take drugs? She did not fit into my stereotype of a drug user.
Speak to any parent and unless they live within a drug-using society you always think the best of your kids. So you never speak to your kids about drugs. Ignorance is bliss. And you think if your kid is not involved, there is no reason to find out about it. That attitude breeds more misuse and abuse, because if your kids ask questions, you cannot answer.
So then they will turn to a friend, and the problem with a friend is they are only half educated. They may well only ever have been told how wonderful drugs are by someone who is trying to sell them some.
When I talk to people it is not a case of saying if you take drugs this will happen to you. All drugs attack the body, but they affect different people in different ways. Instead, when I give my talks, I can only pass on information. It is up to the individual whether they accept it.I never tell anybody not to take drugs. I hopefully give them enough facts that they themselves will want to say "no", or if they are dabbling they will find out more.
The title of my talk is 'The Choice Is Yours'. The talk on average is about two hours, and the feedback is that it goes very quickly. I used to be a teacher and I always remember learning should be fun, so I try to bring humour into it.
Over the last nine years, since Leah died, I have been into more than 3,500 schools, speaking to more than 2.75 million pupils and one million parents. It has been proven that, where I have been, drug misuse has actually fallen - so it does work.
It is not 100% effective because there is not one simple answer. If there was we would have found it.
The young people say to me I talk with them instead of down to them, and I take that as a compliment. I try to think if I was their age, what would work for me, and I try to inter-relate. I do not tell them not to do drugs. I tell them about the dangers. You have to look at both sides and only the individual can decide whether it is worth the risk. You use reasoning. When you treat them like an adult, they respond.
Aberdeen Evening Express
'Treat them like adults and they will respond'
By Paul Betts
I began giving talks on drugs awareness after the death of my daughter. It came about as a result of me being ignorant to drugs and having for the rest of my life the guilt complex that, had I learnt and spoken to her, could I have changed history?
I thought it only fair that other parents and children be given the opportunity. Every single person in society has a role to play and should be educated in relation to drug misuse and abuse.
We carry about with us the stereotypical image of a smelly, spotty drug user, stealing to feed their habit. But it is wrong to think that.You cannot pick a drug user. You can generally identify someone who has been using drugs for a period of time because of the symptoms. But you cannot describe a drug user.
My daughter was well educated, good looking, clean-living and loved. She was at college and wanted to be a teacher. Why would I consider she would take drugs? She did not fit into my stereotype of a drug user.
Speak to any parent and unless they live within a drug-using society you always think the best of your kids. So you never speak to your kids about drugs. Ignorance is bliss. And you think if your kid is not involved, there is no reason to find out about it. That attitude breeds more misuse and abuse, because if your kids ask questions, you cannot answer.
So then they will turn to a friend, and the problem with a friend is they are only half educated. They may well only ever have been told how wonderful drugs are by someone who is trying to sell them some.
When I talk to people it is not a case of saying if you take drugs this will happen to you. All drugs attack the body, but they affect different people in different ways. Instead, when I give my talks, I can only pass on information. It is up to the individual whether they accept it.I never tell anybody not to take drugs. I hopefully give them enough facts that they themselves will want to say "no", or if they are dabbling they will find out more.
The title of my talk is 'The Choice Is Yours'. The talk on average is about two hours, and the feedback is that it goes very quickly. I used to be a teacher and I always remember learning should be fun, so I try to bring humour into it.
Over the last nine years, since Leah died, I have been into more than 3,500 schools, speaking to more than 2.75 million pupils and one million parents. It has been proven that, where I have been, drug misuse has actually fallen - so it does work.
It is not 100% effective because there is not one simple answer. If there was we would have found it.
The young people say to me I talk with them instead of down to them, and I take that as a compliment. I try to think if I was their age, what would work for me, and I try to inter-relate. I do not tell them not to do drugs. I tell them about the dangers. You have to look at both sides and only the individual can decide whether it is worth the risk. You use reasoning. When you treat them like an adult, they respond.
Monday, October 25, 2004
Australia Ravaged by Ecstasy
When I do a Nexis search (that's a search of thousands of newspapers worldwide) on the words "ecstasy and death," I'm always shocked at how many incidents are occuring in Australia. If you know anyone in Australia, please forward this to them and ask them to help me spread the word about the dangers of desginer drugs. Tell them to click here for more information.
Here's the latest Australian designer drug death, from the AAP, an Australian newswire:
Red Mitsubishi tablet linked to second death
By Lauren Ahwan
ADELAIDE, Oct 25: A second person has died after taking a tablet containing ecstasy and caffeine, known as a Red Mitsubishi.
Police today said the 28-year-old Adelaide man died in a motel yesterday. His death followed that of a Sydney teenager who took the drug earlier this month. At least 12 overdoses around Australia have been linked to the drug in recent weeks.
Contrary to previous reports, police no longer believe the tablets contained paramethoxy-amphetamine, or PMA -- only ecstasy and caffeine.
Notice how the deaths earlier were attributed to PMA? This happens all the time because of the misconception that ecstasy (MDMA) is safe. It's not. Ecstasy, just ecstasy, can kill you, just as it killed Cathy, who is profiled in my film.
Here's the latest Australian designer drug death, from the AAP, an Australian newswire:
Red Mitsubishi tablet linked to second death
By Lauren Ahwan
ADELAIDE, Oct 25: A second person has died after taking a tablet containing ecstasy and caffeine, known as a Red Mitsubishi.
Police today said the 28-year-old Adelaide man died in a motel yesterday. His death followed that of a Sydney teenager who took the drug earlier this month. At least 12 overdoses around Australia have been linked to the drug in recent weeks.
Contrary to previous reports, police no longer believe the tablets contained paramethoxy-amphetamine, or PMA -- only ecstasy and caffeine.
Notice how the deaths earlier were attributed to PMA? This happens all the time because of the misconception that ecstasy (MDMA) is safe. It's not. Ecstasy, just ecstasy, can kill you, just as it killed Cathy, who is profiled in my film.
DEX Death Brings Lawsuit
My next film, which I'm am trying very hard to raise funds for through the sales of my first film, will cover DXM (dextromethorphan, or "dex"), in addition to GHB and alcohol. This tragic story shows why it's so important to get the story out about the dangers of DXM:
Parents of student who died of overdose sue drug company
NEVADA, Iowa: The parents of an Iowa State University student who died in his dorm room of an accidental drug overdose have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against a North Dakota chemical company.
Michael and Diana Babicz, of Palatine, Ill., filed the lawsuit in Story County District Court earlier this month. They claim LTK Research Products of Minot, N.D., sold their son a potentially dangerous chemical over the Internet.
Michael Babicz, 22, died in October, 2002, from an overdose of dextromethorphan, an ingredient found in cough medicine. He was found dead in his dorm room. Court records said dextromethorphan can be ingested as a recreational drug and can produce hallucinations similar to LSD or ecstasy.
The lawsuit claims the company sold dextromethorphan under the guise that it was selling to legitimate researchers.
Records show that Michael Babicz, a senior, purchased dextromethorphan powder on Sept. 9, 2002, from the Web site of LTK Research Products of Minot. His body was found on Oct. 10.
Parents of student who died of overdose sue drug company
NEVADA, Iowa: The parents of an Iowa State University student who died in his dorm room of an accidental drug overdose have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against a North Dakota chemical company.
Michael and Diana Babicz, of Palatine, Ill., filed the lawsuit in Story County District Court earlier this month. They claim LTK Research Products of Minot, N.D., sold their son a potentially dangerous chemical over the Internet.
Michael Babicz, 22, died in October, 2002, from an overdose of dextromethorphan, an ingredient found in cough medicine. He was found dead in his dorm room. Court records said dextromethorphan can be ingested as a recreational drug and can produce hallucinations similar to LSD or ecstasy.
The lawsuit claims the company sold dextromethorphan under the guise that it was selling to legitimate researchers.
Records show that Michael Babicz, a senior, purchased dextromethorphan powder on Sept. 9, 2002, from the Web site of LTK Research Products of Minot. His body was found on Oct. 10.
Saturday, October 23, 2004
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About E
This story from Australia is amazing! Read it and you'll understand exactly why some good kids make bad decisions ... and why some don't. I've added comments in bold red type.
Copyright 2004
The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, Australia)
October 18, 2004
Youngsters keep dicing with death - Danielle's fatal overdose fails to deter nightclubbers
YOUNG people partying at the venue where Danielle Chalon collapsed after taking a lethal ecstasy tablet remain remarkably unconcerned about the dangers of the drug.
Like 19-year-old Danielle, the 20 young people interviewed by The Daily Telegraph were at Kings Cross early yesterday morning for a fun time with friends.
Most had experimented with drugs, but none said they were regular users. It would appear from their responses, the tragic death of a teenage peer and the possibility they could be a victim of ecstasy are yet to hit home. None of those interviewed thought they could suffer the same fate as Danielle, who took half an ecstasy pill two weeks ago and later died in hospital of a brain haemorrhage. My film challenges kids on this idea in the chapter, "It can't happen to me."
One, 18-year-old Ali, who was with friends in Darlinghurst Rd, said she had never tried ecstasy but disregarded the dangers. "People die all the time," she said. "Part of the attraction is that it's dangerous."
Alex, 21, was waiting for a friend in Oxford St and made extraordinary claims about ecstasy use. "There is knowledge on how to use alcohol and with ecstasy, you just need the right amount of water and the right mixture," Alex said. Alex somehow thinks Ecstasy is like pharmaceuticals, made in highly controlled and monitored environments. It's not. Two pills can look exactly the same, but be completely different. Two pills that are exactly the same can effect two people completely differently.
Daniel, 25, went to great lengths to explain why he thought he could not die from taking ecstasy. "She must have had something wrong with her body before, if you are healthy it's not going to harm you that much," he said. All three of the Ecstasy victims in my film were healthy at the time of their tragedies. If there was something wrong with them, they sure didn't know it!
Angeline, 22, cheerfully said she believed she could trust the person who sold her drugs. "It's [Danielle's death] not affecting what we are doing. If you know the person and the source, it's OK," she said. Oh, so you'd trust a drug dealer? Someone who sells high-risk, potentially fatal, illegal products for profit?
For Jo, 21, Danielle's death has not affected her recreational use of "pills". "You feel so distant from it," she said. "Most people think they know their dealers so they trust them and take whatever they give them. You think it is never going to happen to you ... I know that that is the stupidest thing to think." Yes it is.
Others believed being with friends offered them safety. "I've tried it and it was awesome, I did it two years ago but it is not really my scene. When other people are taking it, you feel safe," Merryn, 22, said, as she stood with some friends outside an Oxford St nightclub. Not true. People on Ecstasy don't have good judgment; many have died when friends ignored their convulsions, put them outside in snow so they'd cool down, etc.
A handful of people, including Heidi, 20, said that they would never considering using drugs when they go out for a good time. "I have never found a need for drugs," she said. "I can have fun without it." Yay, Heidi!
But others had no such qualms about the risks of taking drugs. Jo added tellingly that most young people she knew seemed to believe that they were invincible. "I don't think it [Danielle's death] will have much effect," she said. "You feel so distant from [tragedies like] it."
Pills, thrills and the chemical generation
Alex, 21, student: "With ecstasy you just need to have the right amount of water and the right mixture. Obviously, she didn't do that." Not true. Reactions vary greatly ... and you can die from too much water!
Angeline, 22: "If you know the person [dealer] and the source, it's OK." Oh, so you toured the factory and certified all the ingredients?
Freya, 21"I have never taken it, but the proportion of deaths are so much lower than alcohol so I don't think it [her death] will be a deterrent." Fewer people die from Russion Roulette, too ... so does that mean we should play that for kicks, too?
Natalie, 20, student: "You never know with dealers what's in it. You have to be more wary."
Ed, 19: "I've done it once, I'd never do it again."
Heidi, 20, student"I have never found a need for drugs. But most of my friends, once they've tried it, haven't been able to get off it." Yes, you don't hear much about it, but Ecstasy addiction is real.
Male, 35, bouncer: "One of my friends has just come out of a psychiatric ward, that's what effect it had on her." By stripping serotonin from the brain, Ecstasy can cause depression and suicide. Nowdays it's being cited more and more often by defense attorneys, who attribute their clients' bizarre, even murderous behavior to Ecstasy use.
Copyright 2004
The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, Australia)
October 18, 2004
Youngsters keep dicing with death - Danielle's fatal overdose fails to deter nightclubbers
YOUNG people partying at the venue where Danielle Chalon collapsed after taking a lethal ecstasy tablet remain remarkably unconcerned about the dangers of the drug.
Like 19-year-old Danielle, the 20 young people interviewed by The Daily Telegraph were at Kings Cross early yesterday morning for a fun time with friends.
Most had experimented with drugs, but none said they were regular users. It would appear from their responses, the tragic death of a teenage peer and the possibility they could be a victim of ecstasy are yet to hit home. None of those interviewed thought they could suffer the same fate as Danielle, who took half an ecstasy pill two weeks ago and later died in hospital of a brain haemorrhage. My film challenges kids on this idea in the chapter, "It can't happen to me."
One, 18-year-old Ali, who was with friends in Darlinghurst Rd, said she had never tried ecstasy but disregarded the dangers. "People die all the time," she said. "Part of the attraction is that it's dangerous."
Alex, 21, was waiting for a friend in Oxford St and made extraordinary claims about ecstasy use. "There is knowledge on how to use alcohol and with ecstasy, you just need the right amount of water and the right mixture," Alex said. Alex somehow thinks Ecstasy is like pharmaceuticals, made in highly controlled and monitored environments. It's not. Two pills can look exactly the same, but be completely different. Two pills that are exactly the same can effect two people completely differently.
Daniel, 25, went to great lengths to explain why he thought he could not die from taking ecstasy. "She must have had something wrong with her body before, if you are healthy it's not going to harm you that much," he said. All three of the Ecstasy victims in my film were healthy at the time of their tragedies. If there was something wrong with them, they sure didn't know it!
Angeline, 22, cheerfully said she believed she could trust the person who sold her drugs. "It's [Danielle's death] not affecting what we are doing. If you know the person and the source, it's OK," she said. Oh, so you'd trust a drug dealer? Someone who sells high-risk, potentially fatal, illegal products for profit?
For Jo, 21, Danielle's death has not affected her recreational use of "pills". "You feel so distant from it," she said. "Most people think they know their dealers so they trust them and take whatever they give them. You think it is never going to happen to you ... I know that that is the stupidest thing to think." Yes it is.
Others believed being with friends offered them safety. "I've tried it and it was awesome, I did it two years ago but it is not really my scene. When other people are taking it, you feel safe," Merryn, 22, said, as she stood with some friends outside an Oxford St nightclub. Not true. People on Ecstasy don't have good judgment; many have died when friends ignored their convulsions, put them outside in snow so they'd cool down, etc.
A handful of people, including Heidi, 20, said that they would never considering using drugs when they go out for a good time. "I have never found a need for drugs," she said. "I can have fun without it." Yay, Heidi!
But others had no such qualms about the risks of taking drugs. Jo added tellingly that most young people she knew seemed to believe that they were invincible. "I don't think it [Danielle's death] will have much effect," she said. "You feel so distant from [tragedies like] it."
Pills, thrills and the chemical generation
Alex, 21, student: "With ecstasy you just need to have the right amount of water and the right mixture. Obviously, she didn't do that." Not true. Reactions vary greatly ... and you can die from too much water!
Angeline, 22: "If you know the person [dealer] and the source, it's OK." Oh, so you toured the factory and certified all the ingredients?
Freya, 21"I have never taken it, but the proportion of deaths are so much lower than alcohol so I don't think it [her death] will be a deterrent." Fewer people die from Russion Roulette, too ... so does that mean we should play that for kicks, too?
Natalie, 20, student: "You never know with dealers what's in it. You have to be more wary."
Ed, 19: "I've done it once, I'd never do it again."
Heidi, 20, student"I have never found a need for drugs. But most of my friends, once they've tried it, haven't been able to get off it." Yes, you don't hear much about it, but Ecstasy addiction is real.
Male, 35, bouncer: "One of my friends has just come out of a psychiatric ward, that's what effect it had on her." By stripping serotonin from the brain, Ecstasy can cause depression and suicide. Nowdays it's being cited more and more often by defense attorneys, who attribute their clients' bizarre, even murderous behavior to Ecstasy use.
382 Stories of Tragedy
The three posts below come from just the first page of a Nexis search of media stories matching the criteria "ecstasy, ketamine, GHB, DEX, death." The search engine found 382 matching stories in just the last week!
The stories pour in from all over the world, as young people everywhere take these drugs with so little understanding of the risk, as parents everywhere think, "Oh, no, not my kid!" -- only to find out that, oh yes, it certainly could be.
To find out more, and to get what may be the most powerful tool you can use to protect your loved ones, or yourself, please log on now to www.VoiceOfTheVictims.com.
The stories pour in from all over the world, as young people everywhere take these drugs with so little understanding of the risk, as parents everywhere think, "Oh, no, not my kid!" -- only to find out that, oh yes, it certainly could be.
To find out more, and to get what may be the most powerful tool you can use to protect your loved ones, or yourself, please log on now to www.VoiceOfTheVictims.com.
An Oxycontin tragedy in Wisconsin
Oxycontin abuse is just another bad choice our kids make because of lack of believable information on which to base their lifestyle choices.
Wisconsin State Journal (Madison, WI)
October 18, 2004
HAPPIER ENDINGS;THAT'S WHAT MOTHER OF GIRL WHO DIED FROM OVERDOSE SEEKS FOR OTHER PARENTS
Julie Zdeblick's bedroom was the place she loved most in the world, and it is imbued with her personality.
Her pencil drawings and collages adorn the vibrant red walls. A palette of dried paint sits on a table near a poem she wrote to honor the Earth.
She had just finished a silk-screen print for a school art exhibit. It rests against a wall, as do her guitar and electric bass.
"There were lots of good things waiting to come," said her mother, Catherine Zdeblick.
"That's why I'm so angry."Julie, 17 and a junior at Middleton High School, died March 6 of an overdose of the drug Oxycontin.
Wisconsin State Journal (Madison, WI)
October 18, 2004
HAPPIER ENDINGS;THAT'S WHAT MOTHER OF GIRL WHO DIED FROM OVERDOSE SEEKS FOR OTHER PARENTS
Julie Zdeblick's bedroom was the place she loved most in the world, and it is imbued with her personality.
Her pencil drawings and collages adorn the vibrant red walls. A palette of dried paint sits on a table near a poem she wrote to honor the Earth.
She had just finished a silk-screen print for a school art exhibit. It rests against a wall, as do her guitar and electric bass.
"There were lots of good things waiting to come," said her mother, Catherine Zdeblick.
"That's why I'm so angry."Julie, 17 and a junior at Middleton High School, died March 6 of an overdose of the drug Oxycontin.
Ecstasy Leads to Murder of Family
And so many teens continue to think there's little or no risk in taking Ecstasy!
Chicago Tribune
October 20, 2004 Wednesday Northwest Final Edition
Son's sanity at issue in deaths; Westchester teen accused in slayings
By Brett McNeil, Tribune staff reporter.
RICHLAND CENTER, Wis. : On the opening day of a trial that will determine whether Steven M. Tomporowski, 19, of Westchester was sane when he killed his parents and uncle here in February, the chief prosecutor portrayed him as a calculating if immature murderer who acted out of greed.
"Mr. Tomporowski is a cold and unfeeling person who killed his parents for their money and tried to get away," said Richland County District Atty. Andrew Sharp. "He wanted to be free of his parents and he wanted their assets, so he killed them and took their assets."
Tomporowski, known by his childhood nickname, "Stevie," has admitted shooting his father, Stephen, 52; mother, Deborah, 48; and uncle, Roger, 56, inside a family farmhouse 10 miles north of the rural southwest Wisconsin county seat. He fled the scene in his mother's car and hours later ransacked his family's Westchester home, taking $1,657 in cash, cell phones, five loaded handguns and the family dog.
When he was arrested in Kentucky two days later, police found that Tomporowski also had taken his uncle's and mother's credit cards.
... In a statement to police after his arrest, Tomporowski attributed the murders to his longtime heavy use of drugs, including LSD and ecstasy.
Chicago Tribune
October 20, 2004 Wednesday Northwest Final Edition
Son's sanity at issue in deaths; Westchester teen accused in slayings
By Brett McNeil, Tribune staff reporter.
RICHLAND CENTER, Wis. : On the opening day of a trial that will determine whether Steven M. Tomporowski, 19, of Westchester was sane when he killed his parents and uncle here in February, the chief prosecutor portrayed him as a calculating if immature murderer who acted out of greed.
"Mr. Tomporowski is a cold and unfeeling person who killed his parents for their money and tried to get away," said Richland County District Atty. Andrew Sharp. "He wanted to be free of his parents and he wanted their assets, so he killed them and took their assets."
Tomporowski, known by his childhood nickname, "Stevie," has admitted shooting his father, Stephen, 52; mother, Deborah, 48; and uncle, Roger, 56, inside a family farmhouse 10 miles north of the rural southwest Wisconsin county seat. He fled the scene in his mother's car and hours later ransacked his family's Westchester home, taking $1,657 in cash, cell phones, five loaded handguns and the family dog.
When he was arrested in Kentucky two days later, police found that Tomporowski also had taken his uncle's and mother's credit cards.
... In a statement to police after his arrest, Tomporowski attributed the murders to his longtime heavy use of drugs, including LSD and ecstasy.
GHB dealer dies from GHB; jail sued
Even though it's easy to think this guy got his just deserts, it shows how little some medical and law enforcement personnel know about treating GHB.
FAILURE TO TREAT GHB WITHDRAWAL ALLEGED
Tampa Tribune 10/19/04
The family of a 28-year-old Pasco County jail inmate who died eight days after his 2002 arrest has sued the sheriff's office, alleging wrongful death and violation of civil rights.
James Michael Chaney died after corrections officers and jail medical staff failed to properly treat his withdrawal from gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, or GHB, also known as a date rape drug, alleges the lawsuit filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Tampa.
When Chaney, accused of trafficking in GHB, was booked into the Land O' Lakes jail Nov. 13, 2002, he told deputies he was addicted to the drug and that he had used GHB and ecstasy immediately before his arrest, the lawsuit states.
Jail nurses failed to conduct a "sufficient medical screening" of Chaney, didn't note that the inmate was shaking and failed to provide any medical treatment, according to the lawsuit. At one point a delusional Chaney was forcibly placed in a cell and later, on his way to the medical unit when he began acting "irrational," was thrown to the ground by a corrections officer, the suit says.
FAILURE TO TREAT GHB WITHDRAWAL ALLEGED
Tampa Tribune 10/19/04
The family of a 28-year-old Pasco County jail inmate who died eight days after his 2002 arrest has sued the sheriff's office, alleging wrongful death and violation of civil rights.
James Michael Chaney died after corrections officers and jail medical staff failed to properly treat his withdrawal from gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, or GHB, also known as a date rape drug, alleges the lawsuit filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Tampa.
When Chaney, accused of trafficking in GHB, was booked into the Land O' Lakes jail Nov. 13, 2002, he told deputies he was addicted to the drug and that he had used GHB and ecstasy immediately before his arrest, the lawsuit states.
Jail nurses failed to conduct a "sufficient medical screening" of Chaney, didn't note that the inmate was shaking and failed to provide any medical treatment, according to the lawsuit. At one point a delusional Chaney was forcibly placed in a cell and later, on his way to the medical unit when he began acting "irrational," was thrown to the ground by a corrections officer, the suit says.
Friday, October 22, 2004
Welcome to Voice of the Victims
Hi, it's Beth. Many of you may know me from my film, "Voice of the Victims: True Stories of Ecstasy & Ketamine." Tens of thousands of you have visited my web site, www.VoiceOfTheVictims.com.
I started this blog because I'm so frustrated that I'm not reaching more people who need to know about the risks and dangers of designer drugs.
I started this blog because the mainstream media would rather cover tragedies than solutions.
I started this blog because too many parents think, "Not my kid!"
I started this blog because too many kids think, "It won't happen to me."
And I started this blog because there's so much more to tell. I'm working on my second film, "Voice of the Victims: True Stories of GHB, DXM and Alcohol," but if the world doesn't care enough to get the first film into the hands of those who so desperately need it, why should I sacrifice my family life ... and me ... to make a second one?
In the days ahead, I'll be sharing thoughts, inspirations, tragedies and facts on this blog. Please bookmark it as a favorite and visit it often. Please email it to your friends. PLEASE WORK WITH ME TO HELP SAVE THESE PRECIOUS LIVES!
I started this blog because I'm so frustrated that I'm not reaching more people who need to know about the risks and dangers of designer drugs.
I started this blog because the mainstream media would rather cover tragedies than solutions.
I started this blog because too many parents think, "Not my kid!"
I started this blog because too many kids think, "It won't happen to me."
And I started this blog because there's so much more to tell. I'm working on my second film, "Voice of the Victims: True Stories of GHB, DXM and Alcohol," but if the world doesn't care enough to get the first film into the hands of those who so desperately need it, why should I sacrifice my family life ... and me ... to make a second one?
In the days ahead, I'll be sharing thoughts, inspirations, tragedies and facts on this blog. Please bookmark it as a favorite and visit it often. Please email it to your friends. PLEASE WORK WITH ME TO HELP SAVE THESE PRECIOUS LIVES!
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