ALERT OVER ECSTASY PILLS LACED WITH RAT POISON

Schools Warned After Tablet Find

A PROVINCE-wide warning has gone out to all Northern Ireland's 1,200
schools to be on the look-out for Ecstasy tablets laced with a deadly
dose of rat poison, it emerged today.

The alarm was raised after police in Holland seized a tablet
containing eight milligrams of strychnine which is enough to kill.

They fear other tablets may be in circulation and could possibly be
smuggled into Northern Ireland.

Almost all the Ecstasy tablets seized by the RUC have originated from
secret drug factories in Holland.

The warning to Northern Ireland's 350,000 school children was issued
last week by the Department of Education after consultation with the
Department of Health.

A letter sent to all schools headed "Strychnine found in Ecstasy
tablets" said that 5 to 15 milligrams of the poison can be fatal to
humans.

The deadly tablet was seized in Holland on January 28 and is described
as yellow in colour with dark brown flecks, 9mm diameter and 4.4mm
thick but with no logo.

The letter stresses that the toxic effects of the poison begin to take
effect within 10-30 minutes.

Initial symptoms may include apprehension and a heightened sense of
awarenesss, followed by muscle rigidity in the limbs and facial
muscles. Twitching of the muscles and convulsions may last between 30
seconds and two minutes and occur repeatedly.

The letter warns there is no specific antidote to strychnine poisoning
and death may occur during the convulsions and most patients would not
be able to tolerate more than five convulsive episodes.

Christine Jendoubi, head of the Children and Young People Division of
the Department of Education said: "We took a look at the information
sent to us by the Department of Health and sent out the warning to all
schools."

Most school principals called an assembly of their schools and read
out the warning and sent copies of the letter to all parents.

Chief Inspector John Fenton of the RUC Drugs Squad said:"We are aware
of the threat but must stress no tablets laced with strychnine or any
other poison have been imported into Northern Ireland.

But this find is a worrying development."