ANYTHING THAT CAN BE MIXED INTO A BAGGIE IS FAIR GAME: POLICE

'Clearly, Drug Dealers Don't Have Their Clients' Best Interests Or
Health In Mind'

EDMONTON - In the murky world of street-level drug ingredients, just
about anything can be mixed into baggies bought on street corners.
While cocaine isn't healthy, certain batches are worse than others.

At least seven Albertans have found that out after their immune
systems were suppressed by cocaine laced with a toxic substance.

"A number of them have been hospitalized," said Dr. Gerry Predy,
Alberta's acting Chief Medical Officer of Health. "In these cases, a
patient's white blood-cell count goes down quite dramatically." That
triggers a condition known as agranulocytosis, which leaves the human
body unable to fight off infections. It can be fatal.

The contaminant has been traced to a chemical called levamisole, which
is used to treat intestinal worms in both humans and animals.

The first person fell ill in the summer, Predy said, but other cases
have popped up in recent weeks. Lab technicians then began to piece
the pattern together after all patients admitted to cocaine use.

"It was a good piece of detective work by the lab," he
said.

Police aren't surprised. Officers routinely see street drugs cut with
various chemicals and other substances.

Members of the drug unit have found Ajax cleaner in Edmonton
drugs.

"It is very prevalent to see cocaine cut with other substances. It
could be anything," said police spokesman Jeff Wuite. "Clearly, drug
dealers don't have their clients' best interests or health in mind."

Illegal drugs are often mixed, or "cut," with other substances to
increase the volume, and thus the profit from drugs. Usually, whatever
is at hand and can look like cocaine is used.

"As long as it fools you, they will use it," Wuite
said.

People who use street drugs should assume there are ingredients they
aren't aware of, Wuite said. Predy said that although many drugs are
cut with unknown substances, health agencies are issuing a warning
this time after detecting a pattern, finding the contaminant and
realizing that people from a wide area of the province have become
sick. Cases have been reported in Red Deer, Edmonton and northern Alberta.

Predy said that any cocaine users who develop a fever or other signs
of infection, skin abscesses or lung problems should notify a doctor
immediately. "They should advise their doctor that they have used
cocaine, even if they don't particularly want to."

Doctors in the province have already been notified of the
problem.

Cocaine is largely the hard drug of choice in Edmonton, outlasting a
sharp upturn and decline in methamphetamines over the past few years.

Some Edmonton dealers move a kilogram of cocaine every week. Among
three criminal groups in Edmonton, 100 kilograms can be turned every
10 days.

A kilogram that costs roughly $30,000 and can be cut and sold for as
much as $120,000.

In December 2006, three young people in the province died in
unexplained cases of fatally low blood sugar. It was believed the
youths had taken drugs designed to treat diabetes that were being
disguised and sold on the street as a way to soften the crash from
heavier drugs such as cocaine or methamphetamines.