TWO DIE AT RAVE IN VANCOUVER

VANCOUVER -- There may be a batch of deadly ecstasy for sale in Vancouver,
B.C.'s chief coroner warned yesterday after two people died in hospital
from apparently taking the illegal drug at a rave early Sunday morning.

Toxicology tests still must be done on the two victims to determine what
drugs were in their systems, but Terry Smith said the deaths are alarming
because ecstasy overdoses in British Columbia are rare.

Smith said the two victims Sunday appeared to suffer the symptoms of
overdose, including severe breathing difficulty, relatively quickly after
taking the drug, which further suggests the victims may have taken
contaminated pills.

Ecstasy, or methylenedioxymethamphetamine, also known as MDMA, is a
synthetic chemical with stimulant and hallucinogenic properties and usually
gives the user a feeling of euphoria.

Ecstasy's biggest health risk is a dramatic increase in the user's heart
rate. Those who take too much or have heart conditions can suffer heart
failure and die.