Pill(s) apparently containing PMA caused death in Newcastle recently

This information comes from an article written by Paul Dillon in the Sydney Star Observer of 19/1/06. I thought it is important to pass on and is a good reminder of why we need to always test pills if possible before consumption.

Paul says "two weeks ago a young man died after taking 'ecstasy' (my quotes)". He goes on to say toxicology reports indicated he died as a result of PMA poisoning.

The article suggests he may have only consumed one pill, that he had bought in Sydney, before he texted friends to say "the pill was having a strange effect on him" and that when he was found he was unconscious. Finally after a period of hyperthermia that destroyed many of his organs, he was taken off life support.

Paul then suggests people in Sydney have recently been reporting some weird effects from pills such as headaches, late come-on, high body temperature and a different type of come- down. He says "the frightening thing about the symptoms described is that they can all be attributed to PMA". Unfortunately Paul does not describe the suspect pills but says "just 50mg is considered a lethal dose" so doing the maths, one pill could easily contain a lethal dose of PMA. Hopefully some pillreporters are already reporting some of them.

The main message for me is to test, especially, for PMA. Failing that, look for early warning signs and if necessary seek medical assistance and if you don't get the E effect you're after if may be very unwise to take more as you may be increasing you chances of a PMA overdose.

I'm sorry I don't have an electronic link for this and sorry to be the bearer of bad news without being able to give any more information.

shit... must make sure i test for pma in the near future then... cheers for the info

I've personally treated a close friend for hyperthermia, as a result of PMA ingestion. He consumed a single pill, and for reasons I won't detail here, we couldn't take him to a hospital (disclaimer: *always* take your friends to emergency in this situation). After an hour in an ice bath, with careful monitoring, we got his temperature down and he was OK - but by all reckoning he should have died in my bathroom that night.

That was the event that got me interested in harm reduction. PMA is a hell of a drug.

the one thing that has come of this from happening in Newcastle is that I can see so many more people are being more weary of just buying a pill and shoving it down their gob without testing it.

I have found amongst all that I know in Newcastle who take pills, their attitude to me suggesting they test their pills and so on, has been one of mock, why would I do that, just take it. I've been laughed at once when I suggested I test a mates pill for him- he told me I was a "pinger nerd". I think the fact that all the deaths etc they hear of are all Sydney/Melbourne and so on makes them a bit ho-hum about the whole thing.

Since this death has occurred I've seen a lot of my friends suddenly take stock- its happened locally, and even though its reported this man bought his pill in Sydney, it could still happen to any one of them buying pills locally. I suddenly have a lot of my mates asking me could I test their gear for them, which is fine by me...I'd rather be the one continuously buying the testing kits if it means my friends and their friends are reducing their risks. Actually thats why I bought it in the first place....I was rarely taking anything, but my friend was doing it way too regulary and I was getting concerned about that increasing her chances of getting something dangerous.

Its a shame such a tragedy has made this happen though. I wish more people around Newcastle were aware of testers and harm reduction and so on.

^ Are there places in Newcastle to buy testing kits? If not, it'd be great if you let your friends know about Enlighten - I believe they ship anywhere in Australia. Testing your friends' pills for them is very noble, but you can't be there all the time and if you empower your mates, they'll be able to go on and test their friends' pills, and so on in that fashion.

What other ways would work to get the HR message out in Newcastle? I imagine the pill-taking population is relatively small, it'd be great to see someone (maybe even you!) spreading the word out there.

I'd like to be able to hold some hope that this isn't something we'll see become regular. However, as I've said many times, an increase in PMA availability is very likely to stem from legislation designed to restrict precursor and starting materials for MDMA. While restricting these chemicals has to some extent been possible, it would be near-on impossible to restrict availability of the main chemical used in PMA manufacture. The other chemicals for the process can also be purchased OTC.

So then, who would take the blame for any increased deaths resulting from PMA use? Some of us having been shouting about this for so long, we've almost run out of puff The deaf ears that these warnings have fallen on should bear most of the responsibility IMO. It also highlights the urgent need for government authorized testing, testing that could- if sensibility was to replace political idealism - be in place quick enough to limit further deaths from this drug. A drug most educated people would not willingly consume.

It's one thing for a government to say illicit drugs are bad - full stop. But it's another thing altogether when a government is instrumental in making drugs worse by half doing a job, i.e. not legislating appropriately and broadly enough to prevent any means by which to produce drugs, or more realistically, lift the ZT rule and legislate to protect, advise and assist users, which would also give some hope to the many victims surrounding a preventable death that steps are being taken to prevent further tragedies. Instead, the door is left wide open for unscrupulous dealers to exploit the cultures and lifestyles where drugs use occurs - and that's across the board in Australia, baby. .

Recreational drug use in Australian society will always exist, whether that is to involve drugs commonly seen at present, or any of the near infinite list of newer candidates. Just because people can't be coerced - by media spent millions - into believing all drug use is bad, the drugs themselves shouldn't be "made" worse to press a point. Whether that's the intention or not, logic would say it's about to happen.....

aunty establishment said:

^ Are there places in Newcastle to buy testing kits? If not, it'd be great if you let your friends know about Enlighten - I believe they ship anywhere in Australia. Testing your friends' pills for them is very noble, but you can't be there all the time and if you empower your mates, they'll be able to go on and test their friends' pills, and so on in that fashion.

What other ways would work to get the HR message out in Newcastle? I imagine the pill-taking population is relatively small, it'd be great to see someone (maybe even you!) spreading the word out there.

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I am not sure if there are places in Newcastle to actually purchase test kits, as I purchase online myself, however I might investigate. You are on the same wave length as I am though, about getting them to get their own kits to test their own pills as well as those of their friends and friend's friends and so on. Its been nearly a year for them to start respecting the stuff I have been constantly telling them, but I have already directed one friend's friend to Enlighten! And all my friends who have always wanted to try a pill but have been too scared to, are keen to now, but on the proviso its been tested, so at least the newbies are getting that message right upfront. A slow process but its getting there.


What I see happening around Newcastle is that the pill taking population is getting much larger. Either that, or people have become more open about what they are taking. A year ago, I didn't know one other person in town that took pills...now about 50% of my mates are- am not sure if they did before, or they are just more open about it now. And all the new mates I've made in the last year, same goes, all pillers, and thats not just friends I've made out and at parties, thats friends made at work and so forth!

We've been having this discussion lately amongst our friends, how EVERYBODY seems to be a pill-taker, whether it be occasionally or regularly. The particular club my friends hang out at, everytime I am there (which is at least 3 weekends a month) at least half of the crowd are obviously on drugs, and a friend of a friend, or someone we know will come up and tell us about the pill they've just taken. Without fail, when we are out on a Sunday night, one friend or other will either offer us a left over pill from his/her stash from the previous night, or someone will ask us does anyone have any. And thats a Sunday night, after the massive Sat nights!


I'm not sure what other ways would be best to get the harm reduction message out to Novocastrians. I do all I can by talking, telling people, but I think what people need to is stuff to read. I direct people to sites like this one, but by the time they're at work Mon morning on their computer they're not thinking about Saturday night, and they've forgotten the importance of it. Its a pity there couldn't be some kind of informative leaflet or something that could be available at the clubs etc, with a little bit of info and directing them to the website. However, I couldn't see any club in town supporting that after the recent busts that happened that saw three clubs/pubs shut down for a 72 hour period. Since then, their approach is "no drugs, drug use, or people affected by drugs here". Although they take that stance to satisfy the police and so forth, it appears that unless its blatant, a blind eye is turned to drugs. I can't see the local police seeing info about harm reduction at the club/pub as being complete anti-drugs.


However, this recent death locally has opened people's eyes to some of the possible dangers, its a shame it couldn't be accompanied by some local report that highlights harm reduction slant, and saying where to get testing kits- i.e., if he had tested his pill, his death could have been prevented.


Gee, long post from me, sorry!....I guess this is something I can talk about at length. I just like to see people making completely informed decisions, not half baked, half drunk ones.

What I fail to understand is why wouldn't you just put a tiny amount of speed and caffeine in a well pressed pill if you were wanting to make a quick buck.. why the hell would anyone bother sourcing out PMA... I bet theres been no lab tests yet? I think MDA+MDMA comedowns in extreme heat can def cause PMA-like symptoms though.

I agree with a few of you whom are saying

"such as headaches, late come-on, high body temperature and a different type of come- down"

All can be MDMA .. I am an experience user and frankly ever trip i take is different even amongst the same pills (on different nights).

Example: Red Russians last year put me off pills for 9 months because of the acid like visuals i was getting, however my mate didn't see squat.

The Dolphins at the moment some people are saying will blow your head of with a nasty come down, i found to be a great long lasting medium pill.

This whole article could have actually helped someone if it said one thing... which pill was it ?

aunty establishment said:

^ Are there places in Newcastle to buy testing kits? If not, it'd be great if you let your friends know about Enlighten - I believe they ship anywhere in Australia.

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The Rock Shop - Hunter St Newcastle

a tabbaco shop on Beaumont St Hamilton

Thats all I can remember off hand.

Jimity said:

The Rock Shop - Hunter St Newcastle

a tabbaco shop on Beaumont St Hamilton

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Is the Rock Shop the one at 517 Hunter St?

Also, would yourself or any other Novacastrians be able to give us the address for the tobacco shop that stocks the test kits?

Would be good to stick the store locations in the 5-HTP and Reagent Testers thread while we're discussing this.

Cheers

ive seent he testers in the rock shop and have wondered how long they sit there for. and i am pretty sure they are over prices as with most things in the store, if you want a tester get it from http://www.ez-test.com.au/

^better still: http://www.enlighten-hr.org/ as profits go to more research and harm reduction

mcpilldaddy said:

ive seent he testers in the rock shop and have wondered how long they sit there for. and i am pretty sure they are over prices as with most things in the store, if you want a tester get it from http://www.ez-test.com.au/

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They are on the shelf with all the crack pipes, cone peices et al.

They are about $25. Best thing is you dont need to wait a week or so to get them.

And hoptis, yes that is the address.

Splatt said:

What I fail to understand is why wouldn't you just put a tiny amount of speed and caffeine in a well pressed pill if you were wanting to make a quick buck.. why the hell would anyone bother sourcing out PMA...

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That's my thought, if you're planning to screw people over to make a quick buck, why not just sell them a bunk pill, do you really need to risk their lives? Hell I'd much prefer to blow $$ on a breath mint than end up in hospital (or worse!)

any info on if this story is true or not? or what press etc it was?



how common is PMA? i thought it was very uncommon

If there is a dangerous pill around it would be good if someone let us know what to look out for

i ordered an exteme test on wed arvo and it was here on friday, i have only seen marquis at rock shop, which isnt the best for identifying multipul substances, ie pma

Managed to track this down.

Meltdown to fearful death
By DAN PROUDMAN Chief Police Reporter
Date: 14/01/2006

DRUG experts have warned of the chance of more shocking deaths after a man was "cooked from the inside" after taking the illicit drug known as PMA.

He died four days after popping the pill.

Scott Owens, 29, went into cardiac arrest after being found in a psychotic state at Bar Beach on Friday, January 6, hours after taking what he believed was an ecstasy tablet.

With his body temperature more than 40 degrees, Mr Owens's body went into "meltdown" and his vital organs failed before he was pronounced dead at John Hunter Hospital on Monday.

News of the re-emergence of the highly toxic PMA, known by several street names including "death", has sent shock waves through the party drug community.

"No one knowingly takes PMA," National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre spokesman Paul Dillon said.

"It is a very toxic form of amphetamine, much more toxic than MDMA (ecstasy). When it pops up it is not just one death, it is several deaths in one place in a short space of time."

PMA, or para-methoxyamphetamine, has been linked to several deaths nationally since it emerged in the mid-1990s in Adelaide, where six people died in four months.

Scott Owens's death is believed to be the first involving PMA in the Hunter and one of a handful in NSW in the past few years.

Mr Dillon said the number of deaths was a result of the prevalence of PMA, or because those who had taken smaller doses had experienced milder complaints.

He said it had been proved that victims thought they were buying ecstasy.

"It wouldn't just be one (tablet), you can be sure there is a batch out there," Mr Dillon said.

"There could well be more people who have been exposed to PMA but have been lucky and have only experienced mild forms of hyperthermia or bad headaches."

Mr Owens's distraught family have gone public in the hope that others will have another think about taking drugs.

Mr Owens, of Bar Beach, was a general maintenance officer at the Newcastle coal loader and though he experimented with cannabis when he was younger, was not a frequent recreational drug user.

John Owens said it was believed his son had bought what he thought was an ecstasy tablet in Sydney on New Year's Eve.

On January 5, he sent a mobile phone text to a friend, saying he had decided to take the tablet before sending her texts that said he was "feeling really strange".

That was at 11pm.

Eight hours later police and ambulance officers were called to a man who was in an agitated state in Parkway Avenue, Bar Beach.

After six people including police and ambulance officers helped to subdue him, Mr Owens went in to cardiac arrest and became unconscious.

In the next few days, his raging body temperature, erratic heartbeat of up to 206 beats a minute and his blood pressure put extreme pressure on his vital organs.

His kidneys failed, then the liver and spleen and he was pronounced brain dead early on Monday.

WHAT IS PMA?

• PMA is short for para-methoxyamphetamine. Stimulant and hallucinogenic properties.
• Sold in tablet form like ecstasy, with most users thinking they are taking ecstasy (MDMA).
• Street names include "death".
• First appeared in North America in 1970s and quickly became associated with fatalities.
• Linked to a number of Australian deaths, including six in South Australia between September 1995 and January 1996. Also deaths in Sydney and Perth after users thought they had taken ecstasy.
• PMA toxicity is related to excessive stimulation of the central nervous system.
• User may experience hallucinations, delirium, restlessness, agitation, muscle contractions, thrashing around, rigidity, sweating, high fever, seizures, coma and death.

Source: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre

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From Newcastle Herald, NEWS (Page 5). 14/01/2006

I've gotten Mandelin, Marquis and Extreme from the rock shop. All different brands, over a period of about 6 months. It just depends on what they have in stock.


As for the PMA death. It was reported in the Newcastle Herald (about a page full of vuage information) and apparently on the NBN (Nine) News (Though I didnt see that version, I was fucked up).

*EDIT*
Hoptis found the story