Inquest into death from Net-bought drug

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Very bizarre:

Inquest into death from Net-bought drug
By Roberta Mancuso
March 01, 2007 07:22pm

AN inquest into the death of a Queensland teenager from herbal ecstasy he bought over the internet will investigate how the drug was imported into Australia.

The 19-year-old Rockhampton man became the first Australian to die from the deadly concoction last January after ordering it from a UK-based website.

The two compounds making up the drug were identified as diphenhydramine and dextrometharphan, which are illegal to import into Australia.

An inquest into the teen's death began in Rockhampton yesterday before coroner Annette Hennessy.

It heard that the amount of herbal ecstasy found in his blood was nearly 50 times the toxic amount.

The inquest was adjourned to a date to be set so investigations into how the drug was imported could continue, and a response could be issued from Customs.

"I understand one of the issues that will be raised at the inquest will be concerns regarding the lack of information within the community about the dangers of this substance," a Justice Department spokeswoman said today.

"Initial research conducted indicates herbal ecstasy is prominent in the US but appears to not have been formally recognised in Australia yet."

The teen's parents, who did not appear in court yesterday, requested their son's identity be suppressed.

Forensic pathologist Dr Nigel Buxton, who performed the autopsy, told the court the amount of herbal ecstasy found in the teen's blood was more than 47 times the toxic amount.

Tests found his lungs were congested, suggesting heart failure.

"Herbal ecstasy is promoted as a safe alternative to ecstasy on the internet, but it's not safe," the Rockhampton Morning Bulletin quoted Dr Buxton as saying.

"Some of the effects are abnormal heartbeat, depression, coma and death.

"There have been eight reported deaths in Texas."

The court heard that the teenager ordered the drugs from a UK website but they were sent from the US.

According to an illicit drug data report by the Australian Crime Commission, herbal ecstasy contains caffeine (kola nut) and Ma Huang, an ephedra herb that contains ephedrine.

It is seen as a "safer" alternative to amphetamine-based ecstasy while retaining amphetamine-like qualities.

Herbal ecstasy is generally sold in tablet form and is known as Cloud Nine, Herbal Bliss, Ritual Spirit, Herbal X, GWM and X.

"This combination of caffeine and the ephedra herb has caused heart attacks and a number of deaths. In the US, there have been over 800 reports of herbal ecstasy reactions including seizures, heart attacks and strokes," the report said.

News.com.au