Pubdate: Wed, 31 Aug 2005
Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 The Vancouver Sun
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/vancouver/vancouversun/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477
Author: Jonathan Fowlie
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?136 (Methadone)

STOLEN METHADONE SUSPECTED IN DRUG DEATHS

VANCOUVER - Police say a recent string of heroin overdose deaths may
be connected to the robbery of a pharmacy on the Downtown Eastside
earlier this month.

On Tuesday, Vancouver police Const. Howard Chow said that thieves had
stolen several drugs from a pharmacy on the morning of August 12. He
would not identify the pharmacy or say exactly what was taken.

Chow said police believe that a supply of bad heroin has led to the
overdose death of nine drug users in Vancouver within the past week
and a half.

The ninth death came on Monday after a 41-year-old woman injected
heroin with her boyfriend at the Astoria Hotel on East Hastings Street.

The woman was taken to St. Paul's Hospital after complaining about
having pain while breathing, and died in hospital on Monday.

Chow said police believe the bad heroin may be methadone, and that the
supply may be connected to the robbery on Aug. 12.

"People are buying this methadone believing it is heroin and using it
in that manner and that may be resulting in their overdosing," Chow
said Tuesday.

"We don't know if this is the start of it, the end of it, if there is
a whole lot of product out there," he added, renewing an earlier
police warning for drug users to use extra caution.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin