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Don't forget trendydrugs.org - not just GHB info, but lots of stuff on MDMA (ecstasy) and more. Thank you for subscribing. Please forward this to anyone who may have interest. Automatically recommend the website and newsletter by clicking here: recommend There are 684 subscribers
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AnnouncementsURGENT - SUPPORT NEEDED FOR GHB ADDICTION HELPLINE
By Trinka Porrata The GHB Addiction Helpline has been operating via www.ashesonthesea.com/ghb for one year as of December 23, 2000, and has helped more than 260 people addicted to GHB. Unfortunately, being a totally volunteer operation involving two people and five doctors, we have not been able to provide the follow up that should be done on each inquiry. Thus we sometimes provide the information and don't hear back from everyone about whether they did or did not get help. Even those who do get help could use words of encouragement along the way to prevent relapse. This is one tough drug detox and has long-term depression and even suicide issues. Additionally, we haven't been able to go back through cases and get statistical information (age, time using GHB, adverse reactions, etc.) that would be meaningful in terms of documentation and evaluation for medical/scientific interests. This is an important aspect in terms of bringing proper attention to GHB abuse. We have learned an incredible amount from the addiction cases; things that will help us with all aspects of GHB's effects. Urgent NeedsIn order to accomplish this follow up and documentation, we need your help. We have arranged for UCLA students, who already have experience with GHB, having worked with Dr. Karen Miotto, to start going through the cases with us. We need funds to pay them something for their work, and we need a minimum of two but preferably three or four cell phones (for the two students plus me and my assistant, Kim) plus the monthly cost of the phone service. While we do as much as possible over the internet, phone calls to the people inquiring, and especially to hospitals, doctors and family members are absolute necessities. The Samantha Reid Foundation donated a computer for us a few months ago and has helped with office supply needs related to the helpline. That has been very helpful, but we need to expand to the next phase. The recent publicity of GHB addiction issues has increased our workload of incoming requests for help and we expect it to continue to climb for some time as awareness grows. My monthly phone bill has been "unsightly." We need to be able to do more. During the holidays, a young man in Alabama nearly died form an overdose of GHB and other drugs. His underlying addiction also increased his risk of dying, but he survived, with the help of Dr. Miotto working with the ER doctor treating him. He in now in an inpatient center that we recommended in Georgia. He had told me that he knew at least ten more who were addicted. Since his hospitalization, some of his friends have poured out their bottles of GHB products and some are in treatment now. This is rewarding, but does give a clue as to how big the need may really be. If you are interested in helping, please make donations via the Samantha Reid Foundation (a nonprofit organization--501c status) and designate that you wish to support the GHB addiction helpline. Make checks payable to: Samantha Reid
Foundation Donations of any size would be helpful. +++ Please send this page by email, mail, fax, to any friends or associates that you may feel would be interested in assisting+++
Remember that you can always save the page to your hard drive for future reading. |
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Media Articles
 The following articles were sent in from
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1 TEEN DIES, 1 ILL FROM DESIGNER DRUG USE DOWNERS GROVE, IL (Chicago Tribune) January 5, 2001-- Two apparent drug overdoses in DuPage County in the last eight days left a 16-year-old Wheaton-area boy dead and sent a 19-year-old Downers Grove woman to a hospital in respiratory distress, authorities said Thursday. Frank M. Mondia of unincorporated Wheaton, a sophomore who played football at Wheaton North High School, was pronounced dead Dec. 28 after his family found him unresponsive in his bed. His father, FrankG. Mondia, said the teen was on medications for bipolar disorder that might have interacted with an illicit substance. Mondia said his son spent time in a rehabilitation center last year in a struggle with addiction. Days later, a New Year's Eve party in the Downers Grove area nearly turned tragic for a 19-year-old woman. Downers Grove police said the woman apparently overdosed on a chemical cousin of the popular designer drug GHB. Police said paramedics responded to a house in the1800 block of Sturbridge Place about 4:15 a.m. Monday after a caller reported ayoung woman was unconscious and unresponsive. Police Lt. Kurt Bluder said an investigation showed the woman apparently ingested too much gamma butyrolactone (GBL), which is close in chemical construction to the more widely known club drug gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB). After spending a brief time on a respirator and in intensive care in Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, authorities said the woman was released Monday. The woman, who asked not to be identified, said she ingested the substance not knowing its effects and had learned her lesson. "I'm not doing anything ever again," she said. "It's not worth it. I almost lost my life." DuPage County sheriff's police are handling both investigations, and department spokes woman Monica Sampias said no charges have been filed in either case. Mondia said his son was remembered Tuesday in services attended by dozens of the boy's school friends. The teen had been trying to separate himself from one circle of acquaintances who had led him to substance abuse in the past, Mondia said. "I've read his diary, and he had just written on Dec. 18 that he was turning his life around," Mondia said. "It was like he had two sets of friends and there was this struggle for him." Mondia said his son had begun attending Wheaton North this year and had felt at home. Mondia was hopeful his son's death would inspire those who knew him well and others to make the right decisions about drugs. "I hope someone can be helped through what happened
to Frank," Mondia said. The boy had arrived at the family's Gary Avenue home about midnight before his death, said Mondia, who waited up for his son who had been with friends at a restaurant. After a brief conversation, Mondia said, he went to sleep. The boy could not be revived in the morning, he said. Mondia said his boy was a well-liked teen who had agirlfriend and had enjoyed playing football. "He was looking forward to playing varsity next year," Mondia said. "He was the kind of kid everybody liked. He was a great son." Authorities said a toxicology report is to be returned to the DuPage County coroner's office within weeks. In Downers Grove, Bluder said his department has turned over the investigation of the GBL case to sheriff's detectives. The Downers Grove woman, a student at the College of DuPage, had ingested GBL under the street name "Verve," police said. GBL is not a controlled substance in Illinois, but experts said it can be included in criminal guidelines because it metabolizes in the body as GHB. GHB, a depressant originally known as a substance sometimes slipped into the drinks of unsuspecting victims before sexual assaults, has grown in popularity in recent years among Chicago area youths who take it voluntarily for its alcohol-like effects. Police said Verve, the club drug Ecstasy, and cocaine were in use at the house party the woman attended. She had returned home with friends and had fallen asleep, Bluder said. She was found unconscious and choking early Monday by her mother, a nurse. The woman said her mother performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and saved her life. "I just had no idea what this did," she said. "I just remember waking up in the hospital." GHB and GBL often sell at local parties for just dollars a capful, authorities have said. Both commonly take the form of a clear or yellowish, syrupy liquid, and are produced by mixing various chemicals and industrial solvents. Nationwide, authorities have focused on GBL in recent
months because the substance is sometimes sold at health-product stores as
dietary supplements and sleep aids. High doses can lead to low heart and
breathing rates and coma, experts say. Pair charged with murder in GHB party death BATON ROUGE, LA (THe Advocate) Jan 4, 2001 -- A grand jury brought murder charges Wednesday against two men accused of giving GHB to a college student at a party. Charles Coleman, 20, and Michael Meagher, 19, face life sentences if convicted as charged of second-degree murder in the death of Timothy Mathis. Prosecutor Aaron Brooks said he believes the murder charges are a first in the state in a GHB-related death. Mathis, 21, died April 22 after allegedly ingesting gamma hydroxybutyric acid at a party in Baton Rouge. He was a computer science major at Southeastern Louisiana University. GHB is a central nervous system depressant that can be lethal. The substance was dubbed the "date-rape drug" several years ago after reports surfaced of men slipping GHB into women's drinks at bars, then raping them while they were unconscious. Authorities say the chemical also is popular among young people looking for a buzz. In Mathis' case, Brooks said, he consumed GHB at least four times at a party before going to his mother's house in Baton Rouge and collapsing into bed. Mathis was dead when his mother checked on him about 12 hours later, Brooks said. Party guests told authorities that Mathis voluntarily took the GHB from Coleman and Meagher, he said. Under state law, Coleman and Meagher can be charged with murder for distributing a drug that killed someone, Brooks said. "This is a party drug that kills," Brooks said. Attorney Hillar Moore, who represents Meagher, said prosecutors are trying to make Mathis' death "the example against GHB in Baton Rouge." Moore said the death is tragic but predicted the case
will be hard to prove. State District Judge Lou Daniel issued arrest warrants for Coleman, of 13927 Tiger Bend Road, and Meagher, of 5624 Stones River Road, after the indictments. Mathis' parents said their son was a good person who didn't know how dangerous GHB is. Lisa Mathis said the chemical is not just used as a date-rape drug. "It's the hottest party drug in the nation," she said. James Mathis said young people need to be educated about the drug's dangers. He said his son didn't have that information. "This
is a deadly, deadly drug," GHB also is suspected in the death of a 17-year-old
Stephanie Halseth, who was found unconscious at a Baton Rouge hotel in
December. Charges May Bolster Probes on Raves NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Three men have been indicted for allegedly organizing a series of rave parties where large amounts of drugs were consumed, a case prosecutors say could lead to a nationwide crackdown on the high-energy dance parties. Investigators connected more than 400 overdoses to the raves, which were held periodically from 1995 through August 2000, said George Cazenavette, special agent in charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency's New Orleans office. ``In my time as a prosecutor this is one of the most unconscionable drug violations I have seen,'' U.S. Attorney Eddie Jordan said. ``They used these raves to exploit young people by designing them for pervasive drug abuse.'' Jordan said federal prosecutors around the country have asked him for copies of the case so they can use the same strategies to clamp down on rave organizers in their districts. Robert J. Brunet, 37, was charged with conspiracy to violate a federal crackhouse law that makes it a crime to make a building available for the use of illegal drugs. His brother, Brian Brunet, 33, was charged along with James Estopinal, 32, on one count of violating the law. Jordan said raves by definition are parties where
pulsating techno music, steam, and paraphernalia such as pacifiers,
chemical light sticks and flashing light rings are used to support highs
from club drugs like Ecstasy. But Gerard Rault, a criminal law professor at Loyola University, said the tactic might be a stretch because prosecutors would have to prove that the defendants were certain of widespread drug use on the premises and did nothing to stop it. Rault compared the situation to alumni associations that buy or lease fraternity houses on or near college campuses. ``Now would it surprise us to find drug use in those houses? Probably not, but does that mean those alumni organizations are somehow guilty?'' he asked. Rault expected the case to cause rave organizers to rethink how they go about hosting and promoting their events. ``Just the very prosecution of these people becomes very costly to them and there's the agony of potential conviction, so the very fact of the indictment would deter rave parties.'' The suspects allegedly organized the raves at a landmark downtown performance hall known as the State Palace theater. The owners of the theater will not be charged, prosecutors said. No one answered the phone Friday at either of the listed numbers for the Brunet brothers. Estopinal's phone number was unlisted. Each faces maximum penalties of 20 years in prison and
$500,000 in fines. The men had been notified of the charges but were not
arrested. They were expected to be arraigned next week, Jordan said. Sgt. Bruce R. Talbot http://DrugRecognition.com
A bodybuilder avoided a prison sentence Friday on charges of manufacturing and selling hundreds of gallons of the drug GHB after federal prosecutors cited his cooperation in their continuing probe. In U.S. District Court in Chicago, Jeffrey N. Kottmeier, 25, of Schaumburg was sentenced to 4 months' home confinement, placed on 4 years' probation, fined $4,000 and ordered to do 100 hours of community service by Judge Matthew Kennelly. (The full story is archived at the Chicago Tribune and can be purchased - www.chicagotribune.com)
TRENTON -- Two brothers who sold "date rape" drug kits over the Internet have pleaded guilty in Mercer County to conspiracy charges. Brian Suggs, 32, and his brother Kenneth, 36, formerly of Mount Pleasant, S.C., but now from Rogers, Ark., face up to five years in prison when they are sentenced March 5. They entered their pleas Monday. Authorities said the two men used the Internet to advertise kits containing the chemical GHB, or gamma hydroxybutyrate. The drug is a depressant that has been used in sexual assaults throughout the country. The brothers told Superior Court Judge Andrew Smithson that they shipped the kits, with instructions on how to use them, to customers in New Jersey and other states. They earned about $200,000 through the sales, authorities said. http://www.bergen.com/region/sino24200101249.htm
Calling his actions ``predatory,'' a judge sentenced a man to three years in prison for drugging two women and sexually assaulting one of them. ``These were not impulsive actions,'' Ontario Justice Lynn Ratushny said as she sentenced Youshaa Akl. ``They were calculated and deliberate. He risked [the women's] physical safety for his own gratification.'' Last December, a jury found that Akl, 36, gave a 21-year-old woman and a 26-year-old woman the ``date-rape drug'' GHB in October 1997 at a bar, and, when the drug took effect, he assaulted the older woman. Akl was convicted of sexual assault and of two counts of administering a drug for the purposes of sexual assault. http://www.miamiherald.com/content/today/news/americas/canada/digdocs/094765.htm
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Viewer CommentsGHB? I am happy to be alive, and feel the flesh of my two children. I am happy to be alive, and look into the eyes of my beautiful wife. I am happy to be alive, and thank the friends that save my life! My story is short - I tried GHB once, and was in the emergency room minutes away from respiratory failure, and a lifetime away from my children. Total dosage 2 - 3 tablespoons. Total education about GHB, NONE!! Get educated!! Be smart!! Don't do it!! Signed, Father of Two!! WHERE TO SEND DONATIONS:
Project GHB, Inc. Please note whether or not you care to be mentioned as a contributor in this newsletter or on the website.
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