Dancer ‘first to die’ from taking new party drug
Daughter of Holby City star died at music festival after taking 2CP, a little-known psychedelic
EXPERTS have warned about the dangers of a new party drug after a Holby City star’s daughter was revealed as the first person in the UK to have died after taking it.
Louella Fletcher-michie, a dancer and model from north London, died at the Bestival music festival last year after taking 2CP.
Her body was found in a wooded area on the edge of the festival site at Lulworth Castle in Dorset just before 1am on Sept 11, her 25th birthday.
Yesterday, a court heard that she had taken 2CP and that “there have been no deaths from this drug before”.
Ceon Broughton, 29, Ms Fletchermichie’s boyfriend, appeared at Winchester Crown Court yesterday, accused of supplying her with the psychedelic drug.
The drug 2CP is a hallucinogen created by Alexander Shulgin, an American chemist who is known as the “godfather of psychedelics”.
It is little-known in the UK, with drug charities warning that there is scarce medical information available about its effects.
Four people were rushed to hospital after collapsing at an electronic dance concert in the US state of Connecticut in 2013, and police said at the time that they suspected 2CP was the cause.
Last night, Prof Harry Sumnall, an expert in substance use at the Public Health Institute, Liverpool John Moores University, warned that 2CP can have “dramatic” side-effects.
“It is part of the 2C family of psychedelic drugs,” he said. “From the user perspective, one of the concerns we have is we know so little about these compounds, so many users won’t know what an effective dose is.
“With the more obscure drugs, the hazards are even greater as we know so little about them. There are particular concerns about mixing, whether with other drugs or alcohol.”
The effects of 2CP are similar to that of MDMA or ecstasy, as well as having a psychedelic effect.
“Effects can be quite dramatic, there have been some case reports of effects lasting for three days,” he said. “Some of the hospital reports include increased heart rates, blood pressure and body temperature.”
Mr Shulgin – an American chemist who is credited with discovering ecstasy in the Seventies – produced a range of 2C drugs.
“In his notes he describes how it is relatively easy to overdose on 2C drugs,” Prof Sumnall said.
“In terms of popularity, this family of drugs is relatively obscure.”
The 2C group of drugs are relatively new to the market and are not widely available in the UK, according to Frank, the drugs charity. “Currently there’s very little medical information about them,” it said.
The trial over Ms Fletcher-michie’s death is expected to last four weeks and is likely to be held early next year, the court heard.
Mr Broughton, of Enfield, north London is charged with her manslaughter by gross negligence and three counts of supplying the class A drug at both the Bestival and Glastonbury festivals.
He spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and British nationality during yesterday’s hearing and has not yet entered pleas to the charges.
Adjourning the case for a pre-trial hearing on July 20, Judge Keith Cutler told the defendant: “I adjourn your case over, I renew your bail without conditions. It’s always a condition of bail not to commit any criminal offences so, please, no drugs.”
Ms Fletcher-michie’s death came just days after Mr Broughton, an aspiring rapper with whom she had had an on-off relationship for a number of years, released a single.
The song, Duracell, was produced by Skepta, the grime artist, and the music video was directed by Ms Fletchermichie’s brother Sam.
Ms Fletcher-michie’s father is John Michie, the actor who played Guy Self in Holby City and has also starred in Taggart and Coronation Street. He and Carol Fletcher, his partner and a former Hot Gossip dancer, said that their “hearts are broken by this horrific tragedy”.
‘With the more obscure drugs, the hazards are even greater as we know so little about them’