Starting today, The Courier-Mail newspaper in Sydney is publishing a weekly column by Dr Gordian Fulde, head of the Emergency Department at St Vincent's Hospital. He argues that the emergency department is a barometer for whether a festival is on in town.
In today's article he talks about how people are buying and taking GHB at festivals, using it with other drugs to dangerous effect, and overdosing. This was why the emergency at St Vincents was hit with a bunch of people from this particular event on Saturday. He said that if the event had been further from the hospital he said they may have died.
He also talks about seeing people in emergency after they had been sold ecstasy in cheap packets of 5, and taken the whole packet at once.
Does this reflect your experience?? Is GHB on the rise again? Have you seen e sold in cheap packs?
Does reading that article change what you decide to take at a festival? Or are your choices affected by other things or people?
3 Comments
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Pirog
about 2 years ago
I would not be comfortable taking five pills at once. In fact my friend left 'spare' pills behind rather than take them to the Stereosonic festival.
My own experiences have taught me to be careful of carrying spare pills around. It can be tempting to keep chasing another rush... and has lead to some stupid behaviour that I haven't wanted to repeat...
It can be hard to control urges when you're already under the influence.
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tronica
about 2 years ago
Anecdotally, selling 5-packs is not new... Most people take pills with their friends. I wouldn't assume from the existence of 'packs' that an individual intends to or ends up taking all 5. Though I'm sure there are other interpretations. And it's unfortunate if there are people prepared to take all 5 at once (!)
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Sparke
about 2 years ago
I'm a soon-to-be-nurse. I want to work in an emergency department because I cope best when under pressure. I love researching unusual medical problems. I love the idea of working hard and working fast.
However, I am acutely aware that a large portion of my patients will be admitted to hospital for; drug overdoses, drug abuse, drug induced psychosis, alcohol abuse and alcohol overdose.
This frustrates me enormously. If you've ever been to emergency for a medical problem I'm sure you'll know what I mean. The waiting times are very long, the staff often hardened by years of being on the recieving end of too much abuse.
I was in emergency a few months ago after nearly going into heart failure from a medical condition I have. I was the only under 25 they'd had in that WEEK who wasn't in for something related to alcohol or drugs. To be told that was staggering.
There's been talk recently about making people pay if they end up in emergency from their own alcohol/drug mistakes. I don't agree with that - because I think it will make people apprehensive to ask for treatment. But I really think maybe there need to be greater awareness campaings.
The world is a whole lot bigger than your binge drinking and the emergency department isn't just to treat drug abuse or prevent you from getting a hangover the next morning.
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