FANTASY LAND
●GHB – aka ‘coma in a bottle’ – rivals rise of ice ●Kids, teenagers make up nearly a quarter of addicts seeking treatment
POLICE and the legal fraternity are becoming increasingly concerned about soaring use of deadly party drug fantasy – dubbed coma in a bottle – with more than two people busted in possession of it every day on average.
One leading criminal lawyer Michael Gatenby called it “the new ice” and said it was on the same “trajectory” for usage as the danger drug.
Mr Gatenby said fantasy, or GHB, was cheaper, falsely considered safe despite several fatal Coast overdoses and had become a popular party drug.
“I’ve had a couple of (clients) where we’ve got the footage and showed them and they’ve been massively surprised by how bad they are, their behaviour.”
His comments come as it can be revealed climbing numbers of Gold Coasters – including a large proportion of kids and teenagers – are seeking help for addiction to dangerous drugs and alcohol.
Almost a quarter of the 5296 “clinical episodes” for voluntary drug treatment on the Gold Coast in the 2018-19 financial year were aged from 10 to 19 years old.
THE deadly drug fantasy is on the same trajectory as ice use, a Gold Coast lawyer says, as new figures show two people are being busted with “coma in a bottle” every day.
Fantasy, known as GHB, was seized by Gold Coast police on 917 occasions last year, almost nine times more than it was in 2015.
Police and lawyers have expressed concern about the “dreadful” drug, dubbed coma in a bottle, which has been linked to several fatal overdoses on the Gold Coast.
Michael Gatenby, of Gatenby Criminal Lawyers, said: “Fantasy is the new ice. It’s on the same trajectory as ice use.”
The “grossly addictive” drug was falsely perceived as safe and had become a popular drug among revellers, he said.
“It’s relatively inexpensive, it goes through your system quickly and I think a lot of young people are using it thinking it’s a party drug.
“I’ve had a couple of (clients) where we’ve got the footage and showed them and they’ve been massively surprised by how bad they are, their behaviour.”
Mr Gatenby said GHB could cost $10-15 for two millilitres of the drug, whereas ice is $50-100 for “one point”.
Fantasy-related offences had gone from being a rare drug offence in Southport Magistrates Court to one of the most common, Mr Gatenby said.
New police figures reveal people are being busted with the drug more than they were five years ago.
In 2015, the drug was seized on 174 occasions, compared to 917 last year. GHB was only found 68 times when people were busted for drug possession in 2015, compared to 380 times last year.
According to Queensland Health, the drug, which has been linked to sexual assaults and date rapes, can be easy to overdose especially when taken with alcohol. Overdose can lead to a coma, or death.
Detective Inspector Chris Ahearn said police had become more vigilant when searching for the drug, which was “hard to detect” because of its form.
“Our people are aware of what to look for so when we
I’VE HAD A COUPLE OF (CLIENTS) WHERE WE’VE GOT THE FOOTAGE AND SHOWED THEM AND THEY’VE BEEN MASSIVELY SURPRISED BY HOW BAD THEY ARE, THEIR BEHAVIOUR MICHAEL GATENBY
are conducting our tactical activities we’re not just looking for equipment, or cannabis and that type of thing, we’re also looking at liquids in detail,” he said.
Insp Ahearn said the drug became prevalent in 2018 following a series of overdoses. “We were seeing the dramatic effects that the drug can have and what the potential outcomes (could be). So that was certainly a point where we noticed its presence and increase.”