Pubdate: Mon, 06 Jun 2011
Source: Calgary Sun, The (CN AB)
Copyright: 2011 The Calgary Sun
Contact:  http://www.calgarysun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/67
Author: Shawn Logan
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mdma.htm (Ecstasy)

TEEN'S FATAL OVERDOSE A RARITY: COP

Despite a Strathmore teen's death being blamed on a deadly dose of 
ecstasy, a Calgary drug cop says such fatal overdoses are extremely rare.

Det. Doug Hudacin said the batch believed to be responsible for 
15-year-old Jonathan Herrmans's death - yellow pills with a "Mickey 
Mouse" design - aren't known to the Calgary police drug unit but in 
most fatal drug cases, the primary culprit is not a bad pill, but one 
that's significantly more pure.

"In most cases it's not a bad batch but a really good batch - it 
usually comes down to much purer stuff than they're used to getting," he said.

"It is very, very rare for an overdose to be fatal."

Strathmore Mounties said Saturday they're investigating the 
possibility the batch of ecstasy being eyed may have been 
"dangerously tainted with additional chemicals."

Hudacin said if an ultra-pure batch isn't behind Herrmann's death, 
there are cases were additional cutting agents are added to drugs to 
increase volume.

The detective noted while ecstasy is easily accessible in Calgary and 
area, particularly in the rave scene, it trails far behind cocaine 
and marijuana as the main chemical scourges on city streets.

"It's like any other drug in town - you can get it, there's no 
shortage," Hudacin said.

"The bigger concern with ecstasy is how it's viewed in the rave and 
party scene - it's considered a little more benign and the way they 
sell and package it makes it seem a lot safer."

Hudacin said the only recent case of a fatal dose of ecstasy he can 
recall is an untainted batch that left two teenaged girls - Trinity 
Bird, 15, and Leah House, 14 - dead on the Paul First Nation reserve 
west of Edmonton in 2009.

Both fell into comas during a wedding celebration and were taken off 
life support after two days in hospital.
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