Woman dies after drinking ‘poppers’ from corner shop
‘Should not be drunk’
A WOMAN died after drinking a whole bottle of a sex stimulant bought at an off-licence.
She fell ill and died the same day after drinking the XL Gold liquid.
It contains isopropyl nitrate, found in ‘poppers’, a liquid drug which gives an instant high when inhaled. It is sold legally, but the £3.99 bottle is marketed as a ‘room odouriser, cleaning product and sexual enhancement liquid’, and marked as ‘not for human consumption’.
A police report revealed the woman died after drinking a bottle of XL Gold bought from Party Time off-licence in Arbroath, Angus, on may 6. It said she died after drinking a full bottle of the substance.
officers have now asked Angus Council to review the shop’s premises licence. A review application to go before the council’s licensing board tomorrow said: ‘A male customer bought two bottles of XL Gold from the premises.
He took them home and gave one to a female, who drank the whole bottle and subsequently fell ill and passed away that same day.
‘A police inquiry concluded that XL Gold is not for human consumption. As it contains isopropyl nitrite, which is commonly referred to as “poppers”, some people use it to inhale to get a “quick high”.’
A licensing officer visited the shop on July 3 and interviewed licence holder mohammed naseem. Their report said mr naseem had been stocking the product for at least a year and ‘understood that the point of the product was for the smell’.
At the time of the visit it was displayed on the counter among miniature bottles of alcohol but mr naseem said it was normally kept behind the counter.
The licensing officer asked if the product had ‘ever been sold as, or advertised as, alcohol’.
Their report added: ‘He said that it is not the case, and it has always been clear that it is not alcohol.
‘He told me, however, he does accept that the box being on the counter, instead of being packed away as it normally was, may have caused confusion on the day in question. He also told me that the bottle has clear indications on it that it should not be consumed.’
XL Gold is marketed online as to be ‘used to enhance sexual pleasure for men and women’ and as ‘room aroma odourisers’.
Licensing law specialist Janet Hood, representing mr naseem, said she could not discuss details of the case before the board meeting.
She added: ‘obviously, my client is extremely upset that the woman died but the product is legal and was sold legally.
‘It is terribly unfortunate but the product is clearly marked as not being for human consumption and in my opinion a shop cannot be held responsible for decisions someone chooses to make at home.
‘There are a number of household products, from bleach to shampoo, that are sold legally but should not be drunk. It is a terrible tragedy.’