BIG INTEREST IN FEEL-GOOD DRUG

Despite Health Ministry warnings that One4b could kill, dozens of Waikato
people have e-mailed the drug's distributor wanting to buy it.

Thousands of packets of One4b, a legal substance promoted as a "safe"
alternative to illegal drugs, have been recalled after four people
overdosed on the product.

One4b creates feelings of euphoria, but if too much is taken the user can
slip into a coma.

Four people in the past four days have been admitted for several hours to
Auckland Hospital after taking the drug. Medical experts fear someone will
die from One4b and the Health Ministry has issued a public warning urging
people not to take the drug.

The ministry ordered distributor Outerspace to withdraw the drug from sale.

The product has not been sold in the Waikato, but distributor Mark Barlow,
from Outerspace, said that since the drug hit the news he had received
dozens of e-mails from Waikato people asking where they could buy it.

It was the sort of promotion the product needed and he hoped it would go
back on the market soon.

Auckland Hospital staff were told the latest victim took several sachets of
the drug on Sunday night.

The man, 20, was flown to hospital from Piha beach, West Auckland, in a
coma. He was discharged from hospital yesterday.

One4b is a legal version of the banned drug Fantasy, also known as GHB, or
liquid ecstasy.

It has been sold via distributors in Auckland and through the internet for
several weeks at $20 for 15ml.

Mr Barlow said he had handed all his stock to the ministry and had recalled
the remaining product from his distributors.

One4b contains butanediol which can produce a euphoric effect if taken in
large doses. It works by stimulating the pituitary gland to release a
growth hormone. Mr Barlow said the drug was safe if used properly and could
be extremely beneficial.

Hamilton police Senior Sergeant John Kelly said he was not aware of any
sales of the drug in the city or any problems from its use.