An Ecstasy Death Each Fortnight

 

The party drug ECSTASY has been involved in one illicit drug death on average every fortnight for the four years between 2001 and 2004.

Four in ten deaths were due to drug toxicity.

Three in ten deaths were due to road crashes

Other illicit drugs were also present in most of the 112 deaths that were reported with ECSTASY the primary drug involved

Australia has the highest ECSTASY use in the world

Depression, work and study problems were identified for ECSTASY users

ECSTASY was imlicated in sucicides and other accidents as well as car crashes and drug toxicity.

(Source: National drug and Alchol Research Centre at www.ndarc.med.edu.au

 

DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL COMMENTS

Party drugs like ecstasy, cocaine, ice and amphetamines have a much wider impact on contibuting to the death of users than just the toxicity of the chemicals themselves.

Illicit drug users use a cocktail of drugs together, the impact of which can cause the death or injury of others such as in car accidents.

 

ECSTASY is difficult to test for in drug driving and this causes users to use and drive with blurred vision, hallucinations, dizziness, faintness, convulsions and extreme nervousness.

Australia needs more illicit drug detoxification and rehabilitation programs to reduce the demand and substantially cut the number of users.