Article: UK: Drug Warning as gay 25yo dies

[~lostgurl~]

UK: Drug warning as gay 25yo dies

Ref: Pink Paper (m)
December 10, 2006
Gay NZ.com News

A grieving London family who watched their son die from a suspected drug overdose has urged others to learn from his tragic death in a heartfelt open letter to the gay community.

“I was standing there for the last few days of his life, and I was there at the last minute when they took away the life support,” said Joe, who described the dead man as his best friend.

“His mother asked me, over his body, to make sure that we got the message out to people that this is a real thing, it can hit anywhere, to anybody, and even the most experienced users are falling foul of it.”

“We have lost a 25-year-old who was so incredibly special to everybody. I had known him six years and he was like my little brother.”

The young man, who the family has asked not to be named, fell unconscious after returning home from clubbing in Vauxhall’s gay district, in the early hours of 26 November.

“His friends didn’t understand the severity of what was happening, and I think they felt he could sleep it off,” says Joe. “They weren’t aware that he wasn’t breathing normally, they weren’t aware that he was deeply unconscious, and that there was a danger, and that’s why he’s gone.”

Police suspect he was suffering from the effects of GHB or GBL, potent forms of liquid ecstasy popularly known as G, which can be fatal if taken in large doses or mixed with alcohol.

They believe his death may be linked to five other collapses in gay clubs in Vauxhall over the 25 and 26 November. Police have heard about 15 collapses and two deaths related to GHB or GBL in the past two months in the area and are warning clubbers to think “very carefully” about their safety.

“I am a state registered paramedic and I see it day in and day out,” Joe said. I’ve been called to nightclubs and private addresses where people have gone over on this stuff, and dealt with it professionally, but now I’ve had the misfortune of having someone I love who as a brother who has done this.”

Still unconscious, the young man was admitted to St Thomas’ Hospital early on Sunday afternoon, but it was already too late.

“We kept a vigil by his bedside from the moment he was admitted and friends and family stayed by him,” Joe described. “We were told on the Monday that because of the amount of time he hadn’t been breathing, it had made his brain swell, and it wasn’t going to be rectifiable.

The family believe that if their son had received medical attention sooner, there was a chance his life could have been saved. In an open letter, they pay tribute to their “wonderful boy”, and urge others to learn from his death.

Here in New Zealand, Auckland Hospital’s Emergency Department say they treat at least six people for GHB overdoses each weekend.


http://www.gaynz.com/news/default.as...cle&artid=4086

[Riconoen {UGC}]

Did Somebody say gay?

Reputation Comments on this post:

	not funny
	Quite disrespectful and off topic

[Alicia]

wah is that your closet homo-sexual urges coming out to play there riccoenon over the furry bay-watch man.. you would'nt be a huge angry skin head would ya? lol

[Riconoen {UGC}]

no alicia i just cant resist posting the hoff when gay is afoot. damn swims wasted.

[Micklemouse]

Back on track please kittlings - don't mock The Hoff!

[Nagognog2]

I'm not sure why this is being connected (GHB/GBL) with the Gay Community. On the one hand it's being called a "Date-Rape" drug - when given to women. What is it called if given to gay men?

Next Up Department: GHB will get Women Baked!

[Paracelsus]

Originally Posted by ~lostgurl~

Police suspect he was suffering from the effects of GHB or GBL

Haha, very funny. This is what they all try to say. Drugs aren't really enjoyable, they just fuck you up and provoke addiction and then it's too late and kill you if you're not going to the hospital to get an antidote to stop your suffering and make you feel sick for days. (last part left out).

Nagognog: It's a fact that GHB is used in the gay community, and that is pretty much everything on what the government is building their anti-GHB propaganda. Besides the "date rape" bullshit.

It seems that a lot of people died recently from GHB/GBL overdoses. It's one of the disadvantages of GHB as a drug. It's usually available in liquid form, which makes overdoses easy, and it is very dangerous when mixed with alcohol. Sad world we are living in.

[Alicia]

Which just shows the lack of education and harm reduction, rather then saying "No dont do that wrong motive" Ignorance and stupidity kills as well as the occasional accident.

[darawk]

The problem with GHB is that people treat it like alcohol, and just do shots of the stuff. If it were sold in some other form, or people treated it more like E or acid, this wouldn't be a problem.

[Nagognog2]

Then, if the UK is similar to the USA, it is likely a low priority to help the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered community. In the USA, most places, it would spell the end of a political career to do so. So...

Someone needs to gather up all available information on GHB/GBL, condense same into a workable format, and print it out in pamphlets for distribution in popular meeting spots. Likely one could get the labor/material costs donated from local businesses that cater to the affected population.

[garbled]

Originally Posted by ~lostgurl~

Police suspect he was suffering from the effects of GHB or GBL, potent forms of liquid ecstasy popularly known as G, which can be fatal if taken in large doses or mixed with alcohol.

"GHB or GBL, potent forms of liquid ecstasy popularly known as G"

Typical media misinformation. A potent form of liquid ecstasy? There is no such thing as liquid ecstasy. The two drugs aren't even remotely connected.

But police "suspect" he was suffering from the effects of GHB or GBL. They don't know for sure. But rather than do an autopsy on the chap, they'd rather just demonize G. For all we know, he could have been chasing Oxycontin with scotch.

[PolyFractus]

How should a GHB overdose be treated?

[Jatelka]

^^^ Assuming person unconscious

Call 999 (UK), 911 (US) or the emergency services in SWIY's country of origin

If person breathing: Put in "Recovery Position" (Google for a diagram)

Chin lift (opens airway)

*STAY WITH PERSON* Talk to them, don't badger them. Ensure they are warm. Don't try to give them anything orally. If they start to fit DO NOT put anything in their mouths (risk of losing SWIY's fingers and breaking their jaw!)

Call Emergency Services!

If person NOT breathing: Someone to call Emergency Services

If there is a first-aider present:

Chin lift, clear mouth of any obvious obstruction, and give 2 rescue breaths (remove your mouth from the victim's mouth between breaths, you don't want gastric contents in yours!)

Check for (carotid) pulse: If none, or doubt about presence of such: 30 chest compressions (1/3 depth of chest), rate of 100/min, alternate with rescue breaths 30/2.

Continue until help arrives (following advice of Emergency Services)

Please Note: If you are unable/unwilling to give mouth-mouth, then "Compression Only" resuscitation is acceptable/better than nothing

(What do you mean you don't know basic life support? Kids of 8 can do it!)

*The most important thing in this situation is to be honest with the paramedics/medics who are treating SWIY and their friends: Telling them EXACTLY what has been taken, when, and whether alcohol is involved is VITAL, also any info about concurrent medical problems will be important.

*Doctor/Patient confidentiality exists (and also Doctor/Historian confidentiality):

Doctors cannot divulge ANY info about SWIY's medical care without SWIY's consent unless there is a real risk of harm to others (we're talking terrorism, risk to children/vulnerable adults and communicable diseases here)

Please learn Basic Life Support: It makes a difference

Reputation Comments on this post:

Thanks for this post, it can really make a difference once