‘WAKE-UP’ TO
THE principal of the school rocked by a mass near fatal drug overdose called it a major “wake up” to online dangers, with a top entrepreneur and teacher among the shaken parents.
The sons of a millionaire Gold Coast parent and a senior Saint Stephen’s College teacher were among the seven rushed from the school to hospital on Wednesday afternoon after the overdose.
Three were discharged yesterday but Gold Coast University Hospital confirmed last night four remained in care.
“They are steadily improving but they will be staying in overnight,” a spokeswoman said.
Police revealed yesterday the Year 10 teens all ingested quantities of a drug ranging from “a taste” to “dangerous” amounts during a period of several hours in the morning.
Toxicology results were not being released last night but earlier, Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Aubort said it was important to understand “it’s not your classical illicit drug”.
Part of the police probe was into whether it was obtained online on the so-called Dark Web, with speculation it was Russian designer drug Phenibut, banned in Australia on February 1.
The relaxant was “something we are looking at ... it’s certainly on our radar,” he said.
He urged anyone with footage of the incident or knowledge of any more of the substance out there to come forward: “The police, community, school all have a responsibility to understand what is going on out there in this generation.”
Saint Stephen’s College principal Jamie Dorrington said he understood the substance that put his students in hospital – including some into intensive care – was bought online.
“That’s the message I’m getting, they got it off the internet. Any school that goes through this, it’s a wake-up call isn’t it – you don’t go to work expecting something like this to happen.”
Dr Dorrington added the priority was ensuring the students still in Gold Coast University Hospital made it out OK, but the warnings were clear for young people considering experimenting.
“I’m just hoping the kids get out of hospital ... learn their lesson and the kids who saw it happen appreciate the warnings we give them are real. We are not saying things to spoil anyone’s fun. We are saying it because we are concerned,’’ he said.
“Kids these days live in a far more complex world than we did. It’s taken off, this stuff. You can’t control that part of it. The web is expanding at a rapid rate and young people have a lot more choices to make than we ever did.”
Dr Dorrington said the challenge was the internet. The Dark Web in particular was opening up access “to all sorts of sinister things and it’s not a place anyone wants their kids to be”.
Dr Dorrington said teenage experimentation had “been around since Adam was a boy”.
“But the things they are now tampering with haven’t. There is risk-taking that’s controlled and
KIDS THESE DAYS LIVE IN A FAR MORE COMPLEX WORLD THAN WE DID ... HAVE A LOT MORE CHOICES TO MAKE THAN WE EVER DID. PRINCIPAL JAMIE DORRINGTON