BOY DIES AFTER MIXING MARIJUANA WITH PAINKILLER

LEVIS - A 14-year-old boy from Levis is dead and another is in
hospital with severe health effects after mixing marijuana with a
prescription drug.

Police say the two adolescents were rushed to hospital on New Year's
Eve.

The boys were partying with friends and no adults were around.

Police say it appears they smoked cannabis with a powerful painkiller
called a Duragesic patch.

This type of patch is a strong artificial opiate given for pain
control. It is not recommended for teenagers under age 18.

One boy died and the other remains in hospital with permanent liver
and muscle damage.

Police are waiting for the coroner's report in order to find out
exactly why the boy died.

Francois Bisson, spokesman for Levis police, says mixing synthetic
drugs is very dangerous because it's impossible to know how each
person will react.

Police are warning young people to stay away from their home medicine
cabinets.

Dr. Mark Zoccolillo, director of the substance abuse clinic at the
Montreal Children's Hospital, says parents should be aware of what
their adolescents are doing.

Canada has a very high rate of drug use among adolescents, he says,
but young people do not fully understand the risks.

"They are sophisticated about getting high but not sophisticated about
the risks of taking these drugs," he says.