Pubdate: Tue, 09 Mar 2004
Source: Age, The (Australia)
Copyright: 2004 The Age Company Ltd
Contact:  http://www.theage.com.au/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5
Author:  Jamie Berry

12 OVERDOSES AS DRUG HITS DANCE FESTIVALS

Health authorities have warned about the dangers of the party drug GHB
after a spate of overdoses at dance festivals in Melbourne and Sydney
in the past few days.

The Metropolitan Ambulance Service said 11 people were taken to
hospital after overdosing on GHB, or Gamma Hydroxybutyrate, at the Two
Tribes dance party at Rod Laver Arena between 1am and 10am yesterday.
Later yesterday, a woman attending the Earthcore dance party at the
Sidney Myer Music Bowl was also taken to hospital after taking the
drug.

The incidents came after more than 30 people were admitted to a Sydney
hospital at the weekend suffering the effects of GHB, also known as
liquid ecstasy or fantasy.

Victoria Police last night said two people could face charges after a
raid on a hotel in East Melbourne yesterday in response to a tip-off
from the public. Twelve people, aged between 18 and 22, were arrested
in connection with alleged drug activity after having attended Two
Tribes.

A small quantity of tablets and a vial - believed to be GHB - were
seized. A police spokesman said most would receive an official caution
while one or two may be charged with drug trafficking. "This is a bad
drug," said ambulance operations manager Paul Holman. "GBH is the
(street) name - grievous bodily harm - and that's exactly what it's
going to do to you."

Those treated had collapsed after taking the drug, which has a rapid,
powerful effect on the central nervous system. It has also been used
as a date-rape drug because of its disabling effect.

The Australian Drug Foundation said there was "a very fine line"
between the amount of GHB required to achieve the desired effect and
the amount that leads to coma. As there was usually no way of knowing
the strength of the drug, the risk of overdosing was high, the
foundation said. Combining GHB with other drugs increased the danger.

Gerard O'Reilly, an emergency physician at The Alfred, said the
hospital had been treating up to 10 people every weekend recently and
treated six people for GHB overdoses yesterday. It was believed St
Vincent's Hospital treated the other six. Dr O'Reilly said it was a
huge problem for Melbourne's hospital emergency departments.

Police said there were up to eight GHB overdoses last month in St
Kilda, with some of the victims treated by paramedics. There had not
been an overdose resulting in death in Victoria, but Mr Holman said
one of the men taken to The Alfred from the Two Tribes event had "come
close". Future Entertainment, the company that promotes Two Tribes,
did not return calls from The Age yesterday.

Inspector Steve James, of the Victoria Police drug and alcohol
strategy unit, said he believed the majority of the GHB was made in
Melbourne. "We know that we get a lot of cooks here in relation to
clandestine laboratories of a range of chemicals, GHB being one of
those," he said. "It is a relatively cheap drug."

One user told The Age that GHB was available for $3 per millilitre and
was usually taken in combination with other drugs. "It's generally
used in conjunction with a pill... it just further enhances the
feeling of euphoria and makes it last for longer," she said. Her
friend was one of the men taken to The Alfred after overdosing. "He
took more than he knew he should've," she said. "You've got to be
pretty wary... we are all quite wary and generally know the risks involved."
- ---
MAP posted-by: Richard Lake