FANTASY OR SUICIDE? CHANGE THE RULES NOW

Shawn Brenner was, by all accounts, a bright university student with a
promising future. He died on Saturday in Auckland, and is understood to be
New Zealand's first fatality involving the latest dance party drug Fantasy,
a liquid derivative of Ecstasy. Until tests are complete, it won't be known
if Mr Brenner's collapse in a deadly stupor can be linked to One4b, a
so-called dietary supplement that is also imported as a cleaner for compact
discs, writes The Evening Post in an editorial.

Mr Brenner's death is a terrible waste and, like all other drug deaths,
avoidable. This penchant for young Kiwis to take elective courses in death
must rank as one of the most terrifying facets of modern New Zealand life.
There will be people who argue that drug users get their just deserts -
it's hard, sometimes, to disagree with that summation - but the fact is
that no one can remain unaffected by the wreckage and despair left by Mr
Brenner's death.

There's no escaping the conclusion that this latest fatality illustrates
how supposedly intelligent people are susceptible to the claptrap about
safety levels that the drug trade peddles as part of its sales pitch.
Ecstasy and Fantasy may be different in composition from other drugs that
are used to twist the minds of users and pad the considerable savings
accounts of makers and sellers, but they're no less deadly.

Modern designer drugs are de rigueur in the dance party scene, Wellington's
included. They instil in users a heightened sense of euphoria. Users who
come through an Ecstasy session apparently unscathed say the only
side-effect is a need to offset a craving for water, which is said to
account for its high price in bars and clubs. Not that thirst did any good
for Ngaire O'Neill, New Zealand's first known Ecstasy fatality. In October
1998, she died from Ecstasy-induced hyperthermia - her brain swelled after
drinking large amounts of water.

Anger after Mr Brenner's death is understandable. Auckland intensive care
specialist Tony Smith's been dealing with increasing number of
Ecstasy-related admissions - usually comatose, well-heeled youngsters and
young adults. In addition to the usual victims of road accidents and other
acts of violence, Auckland's trauma unit dealt not only with Mr Brenner,
but saved four other users last weekend, one of them his girlfriend. It's
likely all would have died had Auckland Hospital's staff not dealt with them.

It's little wonder Dr Smith took a frustrated public swipe at the sellers
and the club owners who condone the use of designer drugs. His words are
worth repeating: "All the drug education in the world won't make this drug
completely safe. The club people have said `If we give them lots of
information this drug will be completely safe.' In my opinion, that is just
crap."

He should know.

Ambiguity over designer drug legality needs to end. There's no use debating
the levels of classification while the next Shawn Brenner prepares to step
on to the dance floor, or opts for a Fantasy rush this weekend.