Pubdate: Wed,15 Mar 2000
Source: Nelson Daily News (CN BC)
Contact: ndnews@netidea.com
Website: http://www.nelsondailynews.com/
Author: Bob Hall

PRESCRIPTION DRUG LANDS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN HOSPITAL

A pair of 15-year-old female L.V. Rogers students were sent to
hospital last Friday after they consumed a prescription drug.

Nelson City Police said the drug was supplied to them by a male
student and soon after the young women took the pills they started to
feel the effects. They were taken to Kootenay Lake District Hospital
and treated for symptoms ranging from dizziness to nausea and were
later released with no permanent damage.

"It's very concerning," said Insp. Dan Maluta. "The youths who partook
in it were not aware of what the side effects or possible effects of
taking that sort of drug could be. As far as I'm concerned it was
extremely risky behaviour. Taking an unknown pill like that, it could
have been cyanide for all they knew."

The investigation to this point has revealed that the drug the girls
took is known as "Trazadone," an anti-depressant. Police say the
origin of the pills has been traced through another student and
charges are being considered.

Both police and local pharmacists agree that the pair were very
lucky.

Pharmasave pharmacist Sue Clayton said Trazadone is a mild
anti-depressant and the girls would have needed to take a considerable
amount to suffer any permanent damage. However, Clayton said taking
any pills without knowing the source is very dangerous.

"Taking anything you are buying on the street would be considered
extreme risk taking behaviour," Clayton said.

Police said prescription drugs at LVR have not been a problem in the
past and school staff were very concerned about the behaviour. Maluta
said the best way to stop this type of activity in the future is
through education.

"The best thing we can do is street-proof the kids by getting in the
schools and educating them on the chances they take by taking drugs,
whether those are illicit drugs or pharmaceuticals that they're not
familiar with," said Maluta, adding the police have a drug awareness
program that starts in the elementary grades.

In other police action over the weekend:

> A 23-year-old Nelson man is facing charges of possession for the
purpose of trafficking after being stopped for a traffic violation.

Police said Friday night they stopped the man and upon further
inspection officers located approximately a half pound of marijuana
in the back seat of the suspect's car. He was arrested and transported
to the city lock-up before being released.

The value of the marijuana is estimated at $1,000

> Police checked 656 vehicles in a CounterAttack road block Friday
night.

Two drivers had their licenses suspended for 24 hours after being
found under the influence of alcohol and one driver was found under
the influence of drugs and had his license also suspended.

This is the second weekend in a row that a driver has been suspended
for driving under the influence of drugs.

"We have some investigators who are qualified in drug recognition and
we are training the bulk of the department in drug recognition who
will then be able to conduct tests on the drivers that will indicate
whether they are under the influence of certain kinds of drugs,"
Maluta said. "We are making more inroads in that area and therefore
are more prone to arrest people for this."