Police are warning people about drug use after a 20-year-old man died in Christchurch from a suspected overdose at the weekend.
Investigations into his death are ongoing, however, early indications point to a potential drug overdose.
A man and woman, both aged 33, have been arrested and charged with possession with intent to distribute a Class B drug. More serious charges may still be brought against them.
The Christchurch man’s death follows two other serious drug-related incidents in Queenstown.
Police say two people had seizures in the tourist down at the weekend after reportedly taking MDMA.
Police are now warning people over drug use ahead of a music festival in Queenstown this weekend.
Detective Senior Sergeant Malcolm Inglis says the best way to avoid any risk is by not taking illicit drugs.
“Police strongly recommend people take extreme care, as what they think they may be taking may in fact be a completely different drug or substance,” Inglis says.
It is too early to tell what the young man in Christchurch is believed to have taken before he died, however, the NZ Drug Foundation’s Executive Director, Sarah Helm, says it would be a very rare case if his death was related to MDMA use.
“It is unusual for police to comment on an incident like this without a toxicology report having been completed,” she says.
“We don’t yet have all of the information, so we’d caution against rushing to conclusions in this case. We don’t yet know if the substance this person took was adulterated or not. Fatalities from unadulterated MDMA are exceptionally rare.”
The Foundation encourages anyone considering using illicit drugs to have them checked first.
“In the first six months of this year, a third of the drugs we tested were somewhat or completely different to what people thought they were,” Helm says.
"Drug checking is free, legal and completely confidential. It helps people stay safer by telling them what is in their drugs. People can find information about drug checking clinics and tips on how to stay safer at thelevel.org.nz.”
Another useful resource for people who might experience concerning or unexpected effects after taking something is High Alert, New Zealand’s drug early warning system. This anonymous function can be found at highalert.org.nz.
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