poledriver
Bluelighter
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Stereosonic death shows festivalgoers are playing 'Russian roulette', police say
Police have warned drug-taking festivalgoers that they are playing "Russian roulette with your life" after a woman died and another was placed in an induced coma following drug overdoses at Saturday's Stereosonic music festival.
A 25-year-old woman from Oyster Bay died after suffering a cardiac arrest believed to be caused by a drug overdose.
She fell ill at about 5.15pm and was taken to Concord Hospital where medical staff attempted to revive her. She was pronounced dead about 9pm.
Assistant Commissioner Frank Mennilli said investigators hoped a post-mortem examination, to be carried out on Sunday afternoon or Monday, would shed light on the type of substance or substances the woman took.
"We won't know the full result of the impact and cause of death of this until the autopsy has been conducted," he said, declining to comment on speculation she had taken ecstasy.
He said the woman's death was the latest in a string of incidents linked to music festivals, including the death of 19-year-old Georgina Bartter at Harbourlife just over 12 months ago.
"The mentality of drug culture and music festivals - we've got to change it," he said.
"There's no such thing as safe drugs. There's no such thing as saying you know you can take the drugs and you will be safe. You're playing Russian roulette with your life. You don't know what you're putting into your system."
The second woman, a 22-year-old tourist from Britain, has made a satisfactory recovery, he said. She remains in Westmead Hospital.
Mr Mennilli said there was no indication the women were known to each other.
A further nine people were taken to hospital following suspected drug overdoses. All have been released or discharged.
More than 120 people were treated from the effects of drugs during the festival at Sydney Olympic Park, and 69 people were charged with possessing and supplying drugs. A further 23 were issued with cannabis cautions.
At the same event last year, 221 attendees were charged - although 81,000 had attended, compared with closer to 50,000 this year.
Mr Mennilli said the "the situation could have been a lot worse" if not for the presence of more than 400 police officers and 60 medical staff spread across the precinct.
But he said it was alarming and disappointing that many revellers continued to ignore messages about the dangers of recreational drug taking.
"It's extremely frustrating. We've been working hand-in-hand with the organisers and promoters and venues to put out numerous messages to try and warn people about the effect of drugs but unfortunately the message does not seem to get through to some people."
The event's organisers, Totem Onelove, used social media to express "our deepest condolences to the friends and family of the patron who tragically passed away on Saturday night at Sydney Stereosonic".
Cont -
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/stereoson...sian-roulette-police-say-20151129-glassv.html
Police have warned drug-taking festivalgoers that they are playing "Russian roulette with your life" after a woman died and another was placed in an induced coma following drug overdoses at Saturday's Stereosonic music festival.
A 25-year-old woman from Oyster Bay died after suffering a cardiac arrest believed to be caused by a drug overdose.
She fell ill at about 5.15pm and was taken to Concord Hospital where medical staff attempted to revive her. She was pronounced dead about 9pm.
Assistant Commissioner Frank Mennilli said investigators hoped a post-mortem examination, to be carried out on Sunday afternoon or Monday, would shed light on the type of substance or substances the woman took.
"We won't know the full result of the impact and cause of death of this until the autopsy has been conducted," he said, declining to comment on speculation she had taken ecstasy.
He said the woman's death was the latest in a string of incidents linked to music festivals, including the death of 19-year-old Georgina Bartter at Harbourlife just over 12 months ago.
"The mentality of drug culture and music festivals - we've got to change it," he said.
"There's no such thing as safe drugs. There's no such thing as saying you know you can take the drugs and you will be safe. You're playing Russian roulette with your life. You don't know what you're putting into your system."
The second woman, a 22-year-old tourist from Britain, has made a satisfactory recovery, he said. She remains in Westmead Hospital.
Mr Mennilli said there was no indication the women were known to each other.
A further nine people were taken to hospital following suspected drug overdoses. All have been released or discharged.
More than 120 people were treated from the effects of drugs during the festival at Sydney Olympic Park, and 69 people were charged with possessing and supplying drugs. A further 23 were issued with cannabis cautions.
At the same event last year, 221 attendees were charged - although 81,000 had attended, compared with closer to 50,000 this year.
Mr Mennilli said the "the situation could have been a lot worse" if not for the presence of more than 400 police officers and 60 medical staff spread across the precinct.
But he said it was alarming and disappointing that many revellers continued to ignore messages about the dangers of recreational drug taking.
"It's extremely frustrating. We've been working hand-in-hand with the organisers and promoters and venues to put out numerous messages to try and warn people about the effect of drugs but unfortunately the message does not seem to get through to some people."
The event's organisers, Totem Onelove, used social media to express "our deepest condolences to the friends and family of the patron who tragically passed away on Saturday night at Sydney Stereosonic".
Cont -
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/stereoson...sian-roulette-police-say-20151129-glassv.html
