DEADLY HEROIN ON STREETS OF VANCOUVER

VANCOUVER - Vancouver medical officials are warning there may be a bad
batch of heroin on the streets that is causing serious brain damage.

Three people are dead and one is struggling to survive after smoking the
heroin.

Chief medical health officer John Blatherwick says doctors aren't sure if
chemicals in the tin foil used to smoke the drug are causing the problem,
or if it's the heroin on the street right now.

"It could be what's being added to the heroin, because most heroin they
don't give it to you 100 per cent pure, they cut it with something. But it
could also be that particular batch of heroin," he said.

People affected suffer from severe memory loss, and are often unable to
speak. So far, 30 per cent of the cases have died.

Police are trying to get samples of heroin so doctors can determine if it's
the drug, or the smoking method that's causing the damage.