Man’s death ‘likely’ drug-related

A man found dead outside a Napier shop was ‘‘highly likely’’ under the influence of synthetic cannabis, a local outreach centre manager says.

The man’s body was found about 6.30am on Wednesday on Wellesley Rd in Napier South.

Caroline Lampp, manager of the Whatever It Takes Trust, which operates day centres and recovery programmes in Hawke’s Bay, said the man was a client of theirs.

‘‘We run an outreach centre for the rough sleepers and the homeless so he was a client of that service,’’ she said.

‘‘I don’t know a lot about him. He was someone that had lived in Napier for some years, he’d been a client of our service for some years. He was a user of synthetics. He was 46 I think, 47, about that age.’’

The man had mental health issues and addiction difficulties, she said.

Lampp didn’t know whether he had any family in Hawke’s Bay, however he ‘‘certainly didn’t have any family that he lived with’’.

The man’s death was not a shock, she said.

‘‘This is the reality of people with serious addictions, the synthetics that are available at the moment are doing huge harm so it’s not a shock, it’s very sad . . . And he won’t be the last, because there’s some pretty awful stuff out there that people are selling.’’

A number of her clients had been made ill from addiction, but not many had died, she said.

‘‘People with addictions who buy stuff from unscrupulous people are using drugs and they’ve got no idea what’s in them. Some of it is making people very ill.’’

Police said the dead man was ‘‘known to be a user of synthetic drugs’’, however the official cause of death would be determined by the coroner.

Police would not identify the man.

A friend of the man told Stuff he was a frequent user of synthetic drugs.

Lampp said his death was ‘‘highly likely’’ to be linked to synthetics.

The drug was doing huge damage to people’s lives, she said.

‘‘Many people who we work with that are homeless and sleeping rough have addiction issues that have taken over their lives. That’s why they’re homeless and sleeping rough. If we could help them sort those issues then their lives would be better. But we have very little in the way of resources.’’

Lampp said there needed to be more residential facilities, and targeted community support for people with addictions in Hawke’s Bay.

In August, police said they believed the sudden death of a man in Napier may have been caused by synthetic cannabis.

The man, 55, died at an address in the suburb of Maraenui.

Three men were arrested and charged with possession and supply of synthetic material.

The men, aged 23, 44 and 53, have been dealt with in court.

‘‘The synthetics that are available at the moment are doing huge harm . . . he won’t be the last, because there’s some pretty awful stuff out there that people are selling.’’ Caroline Lampp