In the wake of the death of a 16-year-old New Westminister girl, who died on May 26 of an overdose, Island Health Medical Health Officer Dr. Paul Hasselback advises people wanting to take party drugs of the risks involved with uncontrolled substances.
Angel Loyer-Lawrence and a friend thought they were taking the party drug MDMA, also known as Ecstasy, when Lawrence overdosed and died. Her friend was also taken to the hospital but survived.
“Any uncontrolled substance is purchased with risk associated with it. Unfortunately we do see tragic events such as what recently occurred (in New Westminister),” Hasselback said. “There was some reporting out of Victoria of a pharmacy that was doing some lab testing that’s showing fentanyl being incorporated into MDMA, which is Ecstasy, and I think that really speaks to the drug trade.”
Hasselback said there are risks of an overdose any time fentanyl is added into other drugs.
“On the other hand…even if we just had well-controlled, quality drugs here there are risks associated with them as well,” he said.
karly.blats@albernivalleynews.com
