METHADONE LEVEL IN INMATE HIGH: EXPERT

The amount of methadone in Aaron Crawford's body was enough to kill
him, an Alberta toxicologist testified at an inquest into his death
Tuesday.

Dr. Graham Jones, who was asked to review the toxicology results, told
the coroner's inquest into Crawford's death that methadone, in
combination with the four other prescription drugs in Crawford's
system, was consistent with other reports of methadone overdoses.

"I ultimately concluded that the concentration of methadone in Mr.
Crawford's body was sufficiently high enough to cause his death,"
Jones testified.

Crawford, a 33-year-old federal inmate from Prince Albert, died in his
cell at the Regional Psychiatric Centre four days after he started on
methadone, a drug used to reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms, as
part of a voluntary program to fight an addiction to morphine. He was
found dead in his cell during a routine check on the afternoon of
March 26, 2007.

The toxicology report did not indicate Crawford had been taking other
drugs on top of what he was prescribed, Jones said. Crawford's
tolerance was likely low, Jones testified, because he had been
incarcerated for 10 months and an earlier urinalysis indicated he
hadn't been using opiates while in jail.

Methadone can stay for longer periods in the body while tolerance is
built. In other provinces, regulations require a five-day lapse before
the dosage is increased to allow the body time to adjust and gain
tolerance for the drug, Jones said.

But the dosage of 20 milligrams and the subsequent increase to 30
milligrams after three days in Crawford's case was still within the
provincial regulations in Saskatchewan, federal lawyer Bruce Gibson
said in his questioning of Jones.

Pathologist Dr. Shaun Ladham is expected to testify today on the cause
of death, while Dr. Brian Fern, the physician who prescribed methadone
to Crawford, will be questioned on the centre's voluntary methadone
program.

The inquest has been called to determine how Crawford's death could
have been prevented.