Pubdate: Thu, 13 Sep 2001
Source: Kitchener-Waterloo Record (CN ON)
Copyright: 2001 Kitchener-Waterloo Record
Contact:  http://www.therecord.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/225
Author: Brian Caldwell

GRIEVING MOM WARNS OF METHADONE THREAT

Tests Confirm Son, 22, Died Of Overdose

KITCHENER -- A grieving mother is warning young people in Waterloo Region 
to stay away from black-market methadone after tests confirmed the powerful 
drug killed her son.

"They should educate people and tell them this stuff is dangerous,'' said 
Reta Sandy, whose son, Joseph MacKenzie, 22, was found dead in his bed at a 
Kitchener housing co-operative May 20. "I don't want no one else to be hurt 
by it. This is too much.''

Sandy, a mother of four who lives in Cape Croker, north of Wiarton, said 
she refuses to believe her son knowingly took methadone, a federally 
controlled narcotic that is used to treat people addicted to heroin and 
other opiates.

But after an agonizing, four-month wait for toxicology results from the 
Centre of Forensic Sciences, she said the potential consequences of its use 
outside medical treatment should now be clear to everybody.

"This is what methadone can do,'' said Sandy. "I'll never be able to hold 
him, to hug him and tell him everything will be OK."

Waterloo regional police said more than a month ago that they suspected 
methadone illegally bought and sold on the street was behind the overdose 
deaths of at least three Kitchener young people in a two-month span.

But because of testing delays at the provincial crime laboratory in 
Toronto, toxicology results on MacKenzie, a father of two, are the first 
concrete evidence investigators have.

Police are still waiting for test results on Jessica Weber, 15, and Amanda 
Raymond, 13.

FOUND UNCONSCIOUS

Weber, a student at Grand River Collegiate in Kitchener, died in hospital 
after she was found unconscious July 8 in a Thaler Avenue home. Michael 
McAllister, 19, has been charged with manslaughter, trafficking and 
obstruction of justice in her death.

Raymond, also of Kitchener, died after a party June 27 at the Somme Island 
home of Christopher Watts on Puslinch Lake, east of Cambridge. Watts is 
charged with sexual assault and sexual interference in the case.

Despite their earlier warnings and Sandy's emotional plea, however, police 
are now tight-lipped about their investigation into a possible methadone 
connection in the three cases.

Sgt. Brian Eckensviller refused to disclose MacKenzie's cause of death, 
saying that information was being withheld at the request of his family.

He did say toxicology results "confirmed suspicions we had" and that the 
death was likely accidental.

"It's not a homicide, nor will it be,'' said Eckensviller. "There are just 
some loose ends we have to tie up.''

Det.-Const. Neil Squirrell, who is investigating the death of Jessica 
Weber, said police "continue to cover the other areas" and still strongly 
suspect she died of a methadone overdose.

Police have previously said there is a booming black market in methadone 
and that they're probing the possibility it is making making its way on to 
the street from one or both of the two local clinics where it is prescribed 
for addicts.

Dr. Ralph Stemeroff has run a relatively small clinic in Kitchener for 
several years. Dr. Jeff Daiter opened his Waterloo clinic in December, 
quickly growing from just 30 to 170 clients, and recently moved to an 
undisclosed location after complaints from neighbours.

Given under medical supervision as a substitute for heroin and other 
opiates, methadone is widely accepted as an effective way to help addicts 
stabilize their lives by controlling their cravings.

But if it is taken for recreational purposes by people who haven't built up 
a tolerance, especially in doses prescribed to addicts, experts say it can 
shut down the respiratory system and easily kill.
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