UK - GBL- Mum's mission to ban party drug

[davestate]

Maryon Stewart's 21-year-old daughter Hester died in April after taking the legal party drug GBL.
In her first broadcast interview, Maryon talks to BBC Radio 5 Live's Victoria Derbyshire show about her mission to ban the drug, ahead of a meeting with the Home Secretary tomorrow.

_45960981_hesterstewart.jpg

Hester Stewart was a medical student with a promising future.
"She was just a model daughter," says Maryon.
"She was a great deal of fun, she was a great friend, she lit up the room when she walked in".
Maryon believes that Hester would not have taken a drug she knew might have potentially deadly consequences:
"Hester wasn't the kind of person who would have taken cocaine or heroin.
"If she knew something was dangerous, she would never have done it."
Lethal
GBL (gamma-butyrolactone) is a colourless, odourless liquid - developed as an industrial solvent - which can give users an intense high when taken in small doses.
It is similar to the banned "date-rape" drug GHB, and converts into that substance in the stomach, which can be lethal in tiny doses when mixed with alcohol.


You don't expect to take two legal things like alcohol and a natural high, and end up in a coffin"




Maryon Stewart



"As somebody said to me", Maryon told Victoria Derbyshire, "you don't expect to take two legal things like alcohol and a natural high, and end up in a coffin."
Maryon said she was concerned about how some people saw taking legal highs as harmless as "eating smarties".
"There are so many of these legal highs on the market that are marketed as herbal and safe.
"I think it's so awful that we're actually letting young people be subjected to this illusion that they can take these things and they're safe".
Last summer, the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs advised that GBL should become a class C drug, but no change has yet come about.
Awareness
Maryon said she couldn't believe that the drug was still legal.
"I'd like to know: why the inactivity?
"Because it's actually cost my daughter's life, and, for goodness' sake, after my daughter was planning to save lives in her career, well, she'd want me to be doing this now so that we can avoid any further disasters."
She said that she was "hopeful" about her meeting with Health Secretary Alan Johnson on Wednesday.
"He's a father, he's got four children, he was the minister for health.
"I think he's probably got a really good appreciation of what's going on out there".
Maryon said she felt it ultimately came down to education and raising awareness.
"I don't think it's a five-minute thing," she said.
"I think it's going to take some time."


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8114618.stm

15:42 GMT, Tuesday, 23 June 2009 16:42 UK


-------------------


A few quotes that annoyed me.

Maryon believes that Hester would not have taken a drug she knew might have potentially deadly consequences:
"Hester wasn't the kind of person who would have taken cocaine or heroin.
"If she knew something was dangerous, she would never have done it."

Precisely why we need better education and awareness, alcohol can be a dangerous drug, and when mixed with ANY cns depressant, is likely to do harm.

"As somebody said to me", Maryon told Victoria Derbyshire, "you don't expect to take two legal things like alcohol and a natural high, and end up in a coffin."

I'm getting the jist that the author, and mother are bloody ignorant

She said that she was "hopeful" about her meeting with Health Secretary Alan Johnson on Wednesday.

BRB, SWIM is ordering a litre of GBL, and maybe more if he can afford

[chaos69]

Originally Posted by davestate

Maryon said she couldn't believe that the drug was still legal.

I can't believe alcohol is still legal

[SullyGuy]

*facepalm*

When oh when will people learn, just because it's legal, does not make it at all safe.

But poor girl / family...

[Evil GIR]

Hester Stewart was a medical student with a promising future.

She couldn't of been very good then, it sucks that somebody died and I understand why her mother is doing what she is. But people will do drugs no matter what, no one really cares if its illegal or not. The best thing to do is to educate people the truth about drugs and not scare propaganda stories.

[corvardus]

What Felia Balls is quickly coming to realise is that the government simply and utterly has no clue about people living in this country. Soon, hopefully, those born in the 60's will become the ascendency in politics and bring the drug legislation into the realms of reality.

Felia Balls is certain that the government truly believes they might win the war on drugs despite it being a complete and utter failure for decades. Felia Balls wonders when they will come to realise that giving the public the safest, whilst classifying the most dangerous is the proper way to go.

[SullyGuy]

Originally Posted by Evil GIR

She couldn't of been very good then

SWIY raises an excellent point. As person with a background in science and a future career prescribing drugs you would think she understood that some things should not be mixed, etc.

And SWIM can see where the mother is coming from, but this is tragedy, simple as that. No one killed her. Channeling the energy into education (as hard as it could be for the mother) instead of this full on "assault" would be much more productive. Now I don't live in the UK, but how common is the knowledge that mixing alcohol and GBL/GHB is bad?

[chillinwill]

Call for swift 'party drug' ban

The mother of a student who died after taking the so-called "party drug" GBL has met the home secretary in a bid to get the government to ban it.

Maryon Stewart, of Sussex, wants it classified as a Class C drug.

Following the meeting she said Home Secretary Alan Johnson was "committed" to banning the drug for personal use.

Police are investigating whether her daughter Hester, a 21-year-old medical student, unknowingly took the substance while out with friends in April.

Mrs Stewart, a nutritionist from Brighton, met Mr Johnson on Wednesday.

She said: "We are encouraged by our meeting with the Home Secretary. He has committed to ban GBL for personal use.

"He has a consultation already in progress but he has committed to investigate interim measures to ban it sooner.

"He also intends to consult with the Advisory Committee on the Misuse of Drugs to review the recommended classification and we are hoping that GBL will become a class A drug."

The government has said it was consulting on controlling a range of substances, including GBL, which could harm health.

Sussex Police said toxicology tests showed the student's death was due to GBL in conjunction with alcohol.

An inquest on Miss Stewart, a former pupil at Brighton College who went on to study molecular medicine at the University of Sussex, is due to take place next month.

She added: "We called for this meeting because we want to know why GBL isn't classified as a drug at the moment.

"My daughter died as a result of consuming it combined with alcohol.

"It is a colourless liquid which turns into GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyric acid) in the stomach. A small amount of GBL mixed with alcohol can be lethal."

GBL is already banned for personal use in several countries, including the US and Sweden, but is available at some health food shops in the UK and can also be purchased over the internet.

A spokesman for the Home Office said: "The government is committed to cracking down on legal highs in response to emerging threats to public health.

"We are currently consulting on controlling a range of substances, including GBL and BZP, which can harm health.

"We are determined to tackle drug use in all its forms through tough enforcement, education and, where required, treatment; it is absolutely right that we continue to adapt our drug policy to the changing environment of substance misuse.

"Earlier this year we asked the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs to look into harms caused by legal highs. Their advice will be very useful in informing future government policy on controlling these substances."

June 24, 2009
BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/e...ex/8116146.stm

Reputation Comments on this post:

Thanks for the contribution to the thread chillinwill, hopefully we can make more people aware of impending legislation ...

[MasterG]

Originally Posted by chillinwill

"We are currently consulting on controlling a range of substances, including GBL and BZP, which can harm health.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/e...ex/8116146.stm

Alcohol can harm health too. It's not like I want it banned because SWIM likes his fair share of alcohol too, but come on, why the GBL and not the alcohol? Did anyone else notice how pretty much all the blame falls on GBL and not the alcohol? And furthermore, wouldn't it be more benificial to educate rather than to ban?

[mickey_bee]

Christ.

How's this for an example of how illegalisation doesn't work:

GHB is banned in the UK, and has been for sometime now.

However, a month or so ago a girl on a friend's university campus, I think she was 18, died from a GHB/alcohol overdose. GHB is admittedly a little tricky to find, however, swim could easily procure some within 24 hours.

I understand that parents and friends of people who died as a result of drugs/alcohol want someone, or rather something, to blame. That's only natural, it's human nature, and almost a part of the grieving process.

But laws should be made with a level-head, not clouded by grief or passion.
Unfortunately, that is how the laws on drugs are formulated. And it hurts so much, not only because it is completely irrational and unscientific, but because it doesn't work, and only serves to put vastly more people into a life of misery. Or, perhaps even worse, take those lives away completely.

When will people learn?

[Spucky]

Originally Posted by mickey_bee

Christ.


I understand that parents and friends of people who died as a result of drugs/alcohol want someone, or rather something, to blame. That's only natural, it's human nature, and almost a part of the grieving process.

When will people learn?

But how many grieving Parents are needed
to realize that Gbl. is a very toxic substances?
How many dead Kid`s "we" need to see a difference between a Law
which protect People/ underaged Kids and a Law that cut our Freedom?

I don`t know how many User dies by Gbl. here inside of this Forum
but in some other Forums much more People dies by Gbl. than Opioids, Cocaine, Alcohol and stupid behavior together

[MrG]

Originally Posted by Spucky

Gbl. is a very toxic substances?

Please provide your sources that show GBL to be very toxic as, according to the reams of scientific research we have sourced, it is only toxic at extremely, extremely, high levels of administration.

Originally Posted by Spucky

I don`t know how many User dies by Gbl. here inside of this Forum
but in some other Forums much more People dies by Gbl. than Opioids, Cocaine, Alcohol and stupid behavior together

I would be very interested to know what type of forum, posting what type of "facts" about GHB/GBL has a mortality rate amongst its G users that would be higher than Opioid, Cocaine, Alcohol and stupid behaviour together.

Would this be one that posts dangerous misinformation about G, whilst having a very small numer of non-G related posts?

GHB/GBL is usually only ever fatal when combined, in dangerous levels, with certain other drugs, so I don't imagine that says anything negative about G, rather than it speaks volumes about the lethality of ignorance.

[Spucky]

Originally Posted by MrG

Please provide your sources that show GBL to be very toxic as, according to the reams of scientific research we have sourced, it is only toxic at extremely, extremely, high levels of administration.

How much ml. someone need to die?
(3-5ml.???)
Isn`t "Toxic"?

How many People are really hooked by that Stuff,
how many People make real bad Withdrawals when they want to be free?
What Step people reach at this WD.?
(in a Withdrawal-Scala from point 1. to point 5. where medical help is necessary)
Do People start to get a Delirium?
How long it need that People start to suffer for a new intake when real addicted?
(2-5 Hours?)

Think about that!

[MrG]

There really is nothing to think about, your posts appear to be entirely reactionary and based on misinformation and fear-mongering.

This thread clearly details the lack of toxicity and carcinogenic potential in both GHB and GBL.

As for addiction problems these are only as a result of ignorance. Nobody who has fallen into a 24/7 use cycle of GBL would have chosen that path if they had been made aware of the facts related to chronic dosing. Simply telling people not to do something, without informing them as to why, serves only to treat them as unthinking idiots and fools who do not deserve to be given the knowledge to understand the actual risks and possible harms related to substance use/abuse.

I will ask you again Spucky, please refrain from posting alarmist responses to threads unless you can support your claims with valid evidence.

Reputation Comments on this post:

Good job on posting and deciphering what the facts are verse the claims!

[darkglobe]

If GBL is legal, why on earth can't SWIM find it?

[MrG]

Does SWIY have access to an internet search engine? If so, SWIY can find it.

Mothers on missions are ultimately doomed to result in knee-jerk and inappropriate responses to situations that need a calm and level-headed response.

Although it is a good thing that more people are going to get the message about not mixing G with alcohol, it is rather tiring to keep hearing about how the deceased was going to save the world if it wasn't for this "evil" drug.

The fact is that ignorance killed her.

"Don't do [insert recreational drug name] cos it's bad"

"Can you explain exactly how it may be harmful and in what context?"

"No, we can't be bothered to educate you as, as is quite clear from the constant mention of 'facts' about GBL being odourless and tasteless, we have no fucking idea what we're on about and just want you to do what we say. Whatever we say."

[davestate]

Originally Posted by MrG

Does SWIY have access to an internet search engine? If so, SWIY can find it.

SWIM just noticed, possibly in the wake of all the bad press, that his source has stopped advertising a sponsored result with google. Perhaps a little time is needed for this to blow over, most of SWIMs mates don't know what GBL is, although they think GHB is only a date rape drug, and why on earth would anyone take it volunterally SWIm tries to educate, but some people just won't listen, and stubbornly hang on to their predjudice, like most of the bloody media

[Birkill]

Originally Posted by davestate

SWIM just noticed, possibly in the wake of all the bad press, that his source has stopped advertising a sponsored result with google. Perhaps a little time is needed for this to blow over, most of SWIMs mates don't know what GBL is, although they think GHB is only a date rape drug, and why on earth would anyone take it volunterally SWIm tries to educate, but some people just won't listen, and stubbornly hang on to their predjudice, like most of the bloody media

Boom, fuk swim, thats exactly what my mates think and say!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[LostCelestial]

SWIM hates stories like this. Of course it's a tradgedy when anyone dies, especially somone young. But I don't think that gives any excuse to start banning things left and right.

Sadly here in the UK, and I'm sure elsewhere, drugs laws are on par with 1950's anti-communist scare mongering.
SWIM had the privilage to meet Nick Davies fiarly recently, who has on numerous occaisions made out-spoken attacks on heroin law. He's not a drug addict, is intelligent, articulate and well respected as a journalist.But the home secretary give him an audience? No.

Damn hysterical media.

[Spucky]

That Thread is not a "scientific Answer",
in fact it is a Advertising to promote something
(namely "XYREM")

But i don`t mind, i don`t want to steal Gbl. from anyone,
all i said was:

But how many grieving Parents are needed
to realize that Gbl. is a very toxic substances?
How many dead Kid`s "we" need to see a difference between a Law
which protect People/ underaged Kids and a Law that cut our Freedom?

Maybe you miss your Objectivity?

Edit: But now i get it, you say the LD.50 dose is sooooo astronomical high
that it is impossible to die by a Mono (means only Gbl.-Use)-OD.?

please refrain from posting alarmist responses to threads unless you can support your claims with valid evidence.

Before i start to repeat all the basics i will refrain from Posting,
that will have no benefit for anyone, but maybe that is what you want to explain?

I am off this Thread!

[Boca Bitch]

Hold it... she's a med student and is unaware of the toxicity of GBL/GHB? Bullshit. Absolute bullshit.

[corvardus]

Originally Posted by Boca Bitch

Hold it... she's a med student and is unaware of the toxicity of GBL/GHB? Bullshit. Absolute bullshit.

Are SWIY expecting a med student to know the toxicological profile of 13,000 prescription drugs, and innumerable other compounds? Even if she did read the toxicological profile she would know that she would need to take over 127g of the stuff at the lower end have a 50% probability, according to animal models. That's 1/5 of a pint. LOL

She played the roulette with alcohol, though, and no doubt it was probably a spur of the moment thing. Now she's dead and her grief stricken retard of a mother is now on a crusade.

[Evil GIR]

Swim ALWYAS researches everything he takes, Swim has a degree in Pharmacology.
Swim like to know the fine details of things, sh should of reseached stuff knowing drug interactions can be dangerous.

[malsat]

She wasn't a medical student, she was a biochemistry student. In my country you can get into Biochemistry with Molecular Medicine with only 2/3rds of the Leaving Cert Higher Level (equivalent of A-Levels I think, do final exams have higher and lower levels of education in England? In Ireland we have Higher Level (to get into good uni courses, Medicine needing a grade of 95% in 6 subjects ie a full 600 marks, Biochemistry with Molecular Medicine needing about 430 marks through general Science entry) Ordinary Level (needed for many jobs, Diploma and Certificate university courses, and Foundation Level - practically useless unless you want to be a policeman or a McDisgusting employee) .

Anyway, respect to the fallen, but this just pisses me right off, the media hyperbole making her look like some angel with perfect grades and a future of healing society's ills "this horrible drug deprived the world of a brilliant doctor!"

You might as well call me a neurosurgeon.