Calgary Police Link 7th Death To Tainted Ecstasy

Ecstasy

First Posted: 01/30/2012 8:46 pm Updated: 01/31/2012 12:34 pm


Calgary police confirmed Monday that seven people have died since July in the Calgary area after taking tainted ecstasy.


The toxicology report of Southern Alberta Institute of Technology student Cody Gorlick, 23, who died earlier this month, shows he had ingested ecstasy laced with paramethoxymethamphetamine, a methamphetamine known as PMMA.


Police are also investigating another death they suspect is linked to ecstasy mixed with PMMA after a 37-year-old man was found dead on Sunday.


The cause of his death has not been confirmed, pending the completion of a toxicology report.


The man had been partying with two other people — a man and a woman — who told paramedics they took a number of drugs, including ecstasy. They were also transported to hospital.


"The two people who did not pass away from that residence, that are currently in hospital, are in very serious condition," said Staff Sgt. Mike Bossley.


Police seized a variety of drugs from the home and have sent samples to the crime lab for testing.


Tainted drug reaches past Calgary


As of Monday afternoon, an Edmonton woman was also in serious condition at a Calgary hospital after taking ecstasy with a friend early Saturday morning.


The pair had been at the Republik Nightclub in Calgary.


"From what we've seen in these cases, and it's very apparent, is that the drug [ecstasy] is not just used at raves anymore, it's used by people in their homes, it's used at bars, it's used at all kinds of different locations," said Bossley.


In B.C., 18 people have died after taking ecstasy in the last six months, and a 19th death is being investigated.


Of those 18 deaths, five have been linked to PMMA.


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Calgary police confirmed Monday that seven people have died since July in the Calgary area after taking tainted ecstasy. The toxicology report of Southern Alberta Institute of...
Calgary police confirmed Monday that seven people have died since July in the Calgary area after taking tainted ecstasy. The toxicology report of Southern Alberta Institute of...
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
RocketPower
10:17 AM on 01/31/2012
This doesn`t make sense. How is PMMA cheaper to manufacture than MDMA and better economically by killing people? Maybe it is anti-drug conspirators.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Victor Saymong
Canuck up Toronto way
08:28 AM on 01/31/2012
Russian roulette with pills. These are not legitimate drugs being abused. These are illegitimate drugs made in basements, barns, abandoned warehouses - and with no controls or ethics over the drug's contents (what's a little drain cleaner or rat poison in the mix... who'll know?) and made by criminals who care not a whit about the safety or health of their users. Sure, go ahead an pop those pills. While you are at it hold a fork in the toaster. What could go wrong? Idiots.
05:11 AM on 01/31/2012
This death could likely have been directly prevented by police is they had not refused to release information about the marking/branding on the specific pills which previously had been determined to be mixed with PMMA.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Nick Hatch
I'm So Meta Even This Acronym
12:50 AM on 01/31/2012
What a tragedy for someone so young, especially given the relatively safe track record of ecstasy over alcohol or harder drugs. My heart goes out to his family.
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north of 60
Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati
12:31 AM on 01/31/2012
There's only one cure for congenital stupidity, and it looks like they're finding it.
It's just Darwin cleaning the shallow end of the gene pool.
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Kristopher Leang
training to take down the elite
01:30 AM on 01/31/2012
and when one of your family members accidentally od's on alcohol you can say that at as your eulogy at their funeral
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north of 60
Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati
02:42 AM on 01/31/2012
Nope, my whole family is smarter than that. So, speak for yourself, dude.

Stupid people will find something to OD on, it's probably genetic.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Victor Saymong
Canuck up Toronto way
08:33 AM on 01/31/2012
Alcohol is a legal substance made - in most cases - professionally (home stills are an exception, of course). One cannot accidentally OD on booze. One chooses to drink excessively and with the possibility of death. Alcohol is, technically, a poison when drunk in large quantities. Drink in moderation and that risk virtually disappears (granted, some people may be allergic to or otherwise not be able to process alcohol).
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Jay from Ottawa
sovereignty sale, 1.3T OBO
12:58 PM on 01/31/2012
You comment lacks serious objectivity.

These kids didn't die because they took ecstasy, a drug that has been around for a long time, they died because they consumed a backyard concoction that was being sold to people as ecstasy.

When I was younger I went to raves. I must have known well over 100+ acquaintances who tried ecstasy, and none of them ever died or ended up in the hospital because of a overdose.

Had those kids purchased actual regular ecstasy, every one of them would likely be alive and fine, but they didn't ingest ecstasy, they ingested a dirty concoction assembled by a debauched basement chemist.

You'll learn more about life if you keep an open and unbiased attitude.
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north of 60
Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati
02:56 PM on 01/31/2012
Ingesting street drugs of unknown origin is stupid. If stupid people choose to compete for the Darwin Awards, then so what. Unless you want to live in a society where free choice is limited [or recreational drugs are legalized and regulated], then incidents like this will happen. A few less stupid druggies isn't a problem as far as I can see.
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Blodo
Time to build a better world
10:50 PM on 01/30/2012
Street drugs have always been a toss of the dice. Back in the 60s, bad acid was sometimes cut with rat poison. Not a pleasant feeling.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Montezuma336
Left? No, Right ? No, Im awake
10:40 PM on 01/30/2012
Sounds to me like the anti drug establishment has whipped up a special batch just to prove their points.
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Jake Thomas
elastic
12:13 AM on 01/31/2012
For sure, probably in Area 51.
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Kristopher Leang
training to take down the elite
01:31 AM on 01/31/2012
ha true with all those other "wacky" stories about the government like injecting people with syphilis.... oh wait they did that.