NO CHARGES TO BE LAID IN MORPHINE OVERDOSE CASE

No charges will be laid in the investigation of a morphine overdose that
sent 18 youth to hospital in Nipawin last summer.

RCMP will not pursue charges in the case, which sent youth to hospital on
two occasions in mid-August of last year, said Cpl. Brian Jones, with RCMP
media relations. The investigation into the case has now been closed.

"Based on public interest, they made a decision not to proceed with the
formal charges," Jones said last week.

The youth, all from Nipawin and surrounding area were taken to hospital
after ingesting morphine at a house party last summer. The morphine
belonged to a cancer patient who lived in the home, but was away at the time.

Five days after the initial overdose, three more youths were taken to
hospital after taking morphine. One was airlifted to Royal University
Hospital in Saskatoon.

Seven girls between the ages of 13 and 14, and eight boys ranging in age
from 13 to 20 were involved in the two incidents.

"It took them (RCMP) a great deal of time to track down and talk to as many
of the people as they could that had been at the house," Jones said of the
investigation.

Police weigh three main factors in determining whether to proceed with a
charge, Jones said. Whether there is enough evidence to support charges,
the likelihood of conviction and whether it's in the public interest to
proceed are all taken into account.

"I'm not saying there wasn't enough evidence (but) taking a look at the
whole context of the situation...there was a decision not to proceed," he said.

With the investigation now closed, the morphine collected in evidence will
be destroyed. However, Cpl. Randy Serhan with the Nipawin RCMP said it
would also not be in the public interest to say how it will be destroyed,
except that it will be done according to Health Canada guidelines.