Pubdate: Tue, 25 Jan 2005
Source: Advocate, The (LA)
Copyright: 2005 The Advocate, Capital City Press
Contact:  http://www.theadvocate.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2
Author: Bob Anderson
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?136 (Methadone)

CORONER: METHADONE FOUND IN TEENS' BODIES

DENHAM SPRINGS -- A toxicological screening of the bodies of two teenagers 
found dead this weekend shows positive results for methadone, Dr. Ron Coe, 
the Livingston Parish coroner, said Monday. "I suspect it's going to be a 
contributing factor to their deaths," the coroner said of the synthetic 
narcotic.

"Kids should realize this is not a benign drug," Coe said, adding that he 
has a "public health concern" about the presence of methadone on the 
streets. "I don't want to end up with another death."

Stan Carpenter of the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office said methadone -- 
long used in clinics to help addicts get off heroin -- appears in the area 
as a street drug once in a while, and has popped up more often lately.

One of its forms is as a "cherry-flavored liquid," Carpenter said.

Blood samples from the two teenagers have been sent to a forensic lab for 
confirmation of methadone and to obtain its levels in the blood of the two 
17-year-olds, Coe said.

It will take six to eight weeks to get those results, the coroner said.

Coe also warned teenagers that if someone they are with becomes unconscious 
after using drugs or alcohol, they need to call 911 immediately.

Methadone and other narcotics "suppress the respiratory drive," Coe said, 
adding that mixing narcotics and alcohol can be particularly dangerous.

"When this kind of thing happens, teens often panic and don't do the right 
thing immediately because of immaturity," Coe said.

Someone who knew the two young men did call 911 and provided the location 
of the vehicle in which the two were found, but the timing of that call as 
related to when the two teens were left in the truck has not been released.

Carpenter said the Sheriff's Office is interviewing people who were with 
the teenagers.

Carpenter said there were beer cans at the scene as well as plastic 
bottles; contents of the bottles are being checked by the State Police 
Crime Lab.

He said methadone was once only available through clinics that used the 
synthetic narcotic to help get heroin users off that drug.

It was subsequently used in a similar manner by clinics dealing with other 
forms of drug addiction, Carpenter said.

Methadone has since been used as a pain medication in some cases and can be 
obtained by prescription, he said.

Authorities identified the two teens as Austin J. Way, 30233 Able St., 
Denham Springs, and Timothy J. Fruge, of 10 Main St., Angola.

Their bodies were found about 5:15 p.m. Saturday in a pickup truck parked 
behind a warehouse on J.C. Summers Road, just off Eden Church Road in 
Denham Springs, authorities said.
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