Pubdate: Wed, 08 Feb 2012
Source: Nanton News (CN AB)
Copyright: 2012 Osprey Media
Contact: http://www.nantonnews.com/feedback1/LetterToEditor.aspx
Website: http://www.nantonnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3200
Author: Sheena Read
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mdma.htm (Ecstasy)

RESULTS PENDING

Deaths Caused by Killer Chemical

Autopsy results on a man who died Jan. 22 from an apparent drug 
overdose could take two to four months.

RCMP spokesman Sgt. Patrick Webb said that although many people think 
that ecstasy or tainted ecstasy was responsible for the death of 
Brandon Bodkin, 23, as well as several other people in the Calgary 
area in the past two months, police don't think that's the case.

"They're dying from PMMA (paramethoxymeth-amphetamine), not from 
ecstasy," said Webb. "We have people who suffer from ecstasy 
overdoses all the time. When you have PMMA, it will kill you. It's a 
chemical that has no antidote."

It's the job of the medical examiner to determine the cause of death, 
first by determining if it was from an obvious cause, such as a 
gunshot wound, then eliminating other physical causes, such as heart attacks.

"Failing all physical causes, then he looks at the possible chemical 
causes of death, what could be in the bloodstream," said Webb.

The toxicology report takes two to four months to run because the 
extensive chemical results are often more than just one answer, and 
can be a combination of issues.

"They're at the point right now that they've confirmed there's no 
physical cause,' said Webb. "Right now we believe PMMA is a likely 
cause because the symptoms are the same. Everything points to PMMA."

"These people think they're taking ecstasy. There might be some 
ecstasy in there, but it's PMMA."

The reality that drug takers need to understand is that although they 
think their drug dealers are good people, "the person who 
manufactures it, the guy in his garage manufacturing it, he knows 
what it is, but he's not saying," said Webb. "Everybody down the line 
believes that it's ecstasy, but it's not. It's never a case of 
trusting. They trust their drug dealer, but they may never know what 
they're selling."

Unfortunately for police, the people taking the drugs are usually 
reluctant to say what they took, or who they got it from, and it's 
hard to follow the chain back.

"RCMP-wise, we have two roles. One is enforcement - (finding) who has 
sold this, where is it coming from, so we can track it back," said 
Webb. "Another thing is that it could also be a murder conviction. We 
wouldn't be able to convict the drug dealers unless we can prove they knew."

"The other thing we do is the educational aspect," said Webb. "Street 
drugs are not good for you. These street drugs that you believe are 
fine can kill you."

He says there are signs that the drugs people have ingested, 
believing that they have taken ecstasy, is really PMMA.

PMMA is more toxic than what has historically been known as ecstasy 
or methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), and has a higher incidence 
of seizures and higher body temperature.

The onset of PMMA effects is delayed, and the toxic chemical doesn't 
produce a response as quickly as ecstasy does, and when it does begin 
to act, it gives a milder reaction.

This often prompts the user to take more pills for the desired response.

"There's no cure for this once they're at this level," said Webb. 
"Medical personnel can only cool the person. There's no counteracting it."

"They're at the point right now that they've confirmed there's no 
physical cause,' said Webb. "Right now we believe PMMA is a likely 
cause because the symptoms are the same. Everything points to PMMA."

"These people think they're taking ecstasy. There might be some 
ecstasy in there, but it's PMMA."

The reality that drug takers need to understand is that although they 
think their drug dealers are good people, "the person who 
manufactures it, the guy in his garage manufacturing it, he knows 
what it is, but he's not saying," said Webb. "Everybody down the line 
believes that it's ecstasy, but it's not. It's never a case of 
trusting. They trust their drug dealer, but they may never know what 
they're selling."

Unfortunately for police, the people taking the drugs are usually 
reluctant to say what they took, or who they got it from, and it's 
hard to follow the chain back.

"RCMP-wise, we have two roles. One is enforcement. Who has sold this, 
where is it coming from, so we can track it back," said Webb. 
"Another thing is that it could also be a murder conviction. We 
wouldn't be able to convict the drug dealers unless we can prove they knew."

"The other thing we do is the educational aspect," said Webb. "Street 
drugs are not good for you. These street drugs that you believe are 
fine can kill you."

He says there are signs that the drugs people have ingested, 
believing that they have taken ecstasy, is really PMMA.

PMMA is more toxic than what has historically been known as ecstasy 
or methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, and has a higher incidence of 
seizures and higher body temperature.

The onset of PMMA effects is delayed, and the toxic chemical doesn't 
produce a response as quickly as ecstasy does, and when it does begin 
to act, it gives a milder reaction. This often prompts the user to 
take more pills for the desired response.

"There's no cure for this once they're at this level," said Webb. 
"Medical personnel can only cool the person. There's no counteracting it."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom