Synthetic drug death toll rises after 19 hospitalised

Health Minister Dr David Clark wants synthetic cannabis reclassified to a Class A drug, alongside heroin and cocaine, so police can ‘‘go after the peddlers [and] interrupt the supply of them into the community’’.

The call comes after a Christchurch man is believed to have died as a result of synthetic cannabis, with 19 people admitted to hospital in two weeks.

A St John spokesman confirmed authorities were investigating the death, which was suspected to be synthetic drug-related.

A police spokeswoman said officers assisted ambulance staff when the man was found unconscious on the footpath on Mairehau Rd about 7.30pm on October 1. ‘‘The death has been referred to the Coroner, who will ultimately rule on the cause of death,’’ the spokeswoman said.

The death comes after the Canterbury District Health Board’s warning on September 21, when 10 people were admitted to Christchurch Hospital in a 48-hour period.

A Canterbury District Health Board spokeswoman confirmed yesterday a further nine people had since been admitted to hospital, most were either unconscious or having seizures. Two remained in intensive care.

St John territory manager for Christchurch metro Craig Downing said yesterday there had been a ‘‘substantial’’ rise in the number of patients using synthetic drugs and the level of their aggression.

People using synthetic drugs were unpredictable and challenging to manage, he said. ‘‘Our staff are getting exposed to patients who are acting out both physically and verbally.’’

Staff had to sedate some patients for their own safety and the safety of staff, he said.

‘‘I’m extremely worried because we don’t know, from one patient to the next, what’s in this particular substance,’’ he said. ‘‘Our strong message is . . . keep your hands off our ambos. They’re not to be touched.

‘‘We do our job because we care . . . we’re empathetic, we want to do the best we can, but that doesn’t give anyone, irrespective of the case, a right to touch our staff.’’

Detective Inspector Greg Murton said people using the drug were taking chances with their lives.

He could not comment on the number of deaths related to synthetic drugs because the death or deaths were still before the Coroner.

Christchurch Hospital emergency specialist Dr Mark Gilbert earlier said the patients were from all over the city.

There was no safe level of the drug to smoke, Gilbert said. There seemed to be a ‘‘bad batch’’ in Christchurch.

‘‘There’s no doubt that if you’re smoking this stuff you’re gambling with your life.

‘‘It destroys people’s lives. They’re unable to function at work, they’re spending all their money on feeding their addiction so it essentially ruins their life.’’

Toxicology analysis identified the substance taken by the earlier patients as either AMB-FUBINACA or ABFUBINACA. AMB-FUBINACA has been linked to several deaths in the North Island during the past year.