CRACK MIXED IN WITH POT?

Girl, 14, Put In Hospital

A 14-year-old girl's severe reaction to marijuana is raising alarms
over the possibility some dealers are spiking their dope with more
dangerous drugs, including crack cocaine.

The General Wolfe School student, who used marijuana purchased by a
friend, ended up in hospital recently, experiencing extreme weakness,
incoherence and "projectile" vomiting.

"They put her on a heart monitor. They were checking her motor skills
and her body functions. They checked her memory because she had no
clue where we were. She had no clue what she was doing or how she got
there," said the girl's mother, Sandra Guiboche.

"You have no idea how angry and upset I am," said Guiboche, who
alerted deputy mayor Coun. Mike Pagtakhan so he could put the word
out. "I don't know what else I can do."

Pagtakhan said one doctor at Children's Hospital indicated there is a
possibility that the drug was laced with crack cocaine.

"The doctor told them there is evidence of it being laced with
crack," Pagtakhan (Point Douglas) said. "This is an emergence of
something people should be wary of."

DIFFICULT TO RULE OUT

Health Sciences Centre refused to reveal anything about the girl's
condition or treatment. However, a doctor suggested that a possible
mix of cocaine in pot might be difficult to rule out -- and there
might be other cases.

"We don't keep track of this. I suspect it has occurred," Dr. Wes
Palatnick, HSC's medical director for adult emergency services, told
the Sun. "Though certainly, one can get side-effects such as nausea
and vomiting with marijuana in general. So it is possible, but how
often this occurs I can't tell you."

Guiboche's daughter was able to return home following a few hours at
the hospital. She said her daughter told her the pot appeared to
contain "crystals," which she said might point to crystal
methamphetamine mixed in.

Police Sgt. Kelly Dennison said it's unclear why a drug dealer or
seller would lace marijuana with crack or another strong narcotic.

"For the most part, crack is cheap. It would be more beneficial for a
dealer to sell crack just as crack, than to put crack into marijuana."