'DEADLY' ECSTASY HITS CITY

Three men collapsed unconscious in different bars and nightclubs early
yesterday after a dangerous and maybe deadly batch of ecstasy hit the streets.

Paramedics and police are warning nightclub revellers and late-night
drinkers to beware of buying ecstasy, as the dangerous batch is probably
still being trafficked.

Paramedics first went to Victoria's Bar at 306 17 Ave. S.W. at 2:07 a.m.,
where they discovered a 22-year-old man unconscious, suffering a severe
reaction to ecstasy. They took him to Rockyview Hospital.

Less than half an hour later paramedics were called to the back alley
behind the Warehouse at 733 10 Ave. S.W., where a 23-year-old man was found
collapsed and semi-conscious.

"He admitted to ingesting ecstasy earlier in the evening," said Emergency
Medical Services spokesman Mike Plato.

Paramedics took the man to Foothills Hospital.

Within an hour paramedics were called out to the sidewalk at the Detour bar
at 318 17 Ave. S.W., where they found a 21-year-old man unconscious on the
ground.

"His sister was with him, and she said they'd both taken ecstasy and her
brother had collapsed unconscious," said Plato.

This victim was taken to the Peter Lougheed Centre.

"Of the three men the first was the most serious, and he was potentially
life-threatening when we first reached him," said Plato.

"Three separate cases of severe ecstasy reaction in less than 90 minutes
underscores the danger of taking street drugs, and illustrates the
associated risks."

Plato said it was unusual to get three cases one after the other.

"This should raise a red flag, people should be aware there's a supply of
bad ecstasy out there," he said.

"Ecstasy increases heart rate and blood pressure, affects the cardiac,
respiratory and central nervous systems, and can cause dehydration, severe
reactions and death."

Police were called to the three collapses, and specialists from the drug
unit will be investigating the source of the bad ecstasy.

"We constantly warn against the use of ecstasy because users never know
exactly what they're taking and they're always at risk," said Insp. Blaine
Knapik.

Police have been warning about a massive increase in ecstasy trafficking
and usage in the past two years.

Between early 2000 and January this year, ecstasy seizures by city drug
unit detectives soared by a staggering 525%.

It's an increasingly lucrative drug for traffickers, who buy ecstasy pills
for $8 and sell them for $40 each.

Last year in Vancouver two people died after taking ecstasy pills
contaminated with a deadly chemical at a rave party.

City police warned at the time of the dangers of similarly contaminated
ecstasy reaching Calgary.