Pubdate: Wed, 16 Jun 1999 Source: Danbury News-Times Copyright: 1999 The Danbury News-Times (CT) Contact: 333 Main Street Danbury, CT 06810 Fax: (203) 792-8730 Website: http://www.newstimes.com/ Author: Joseph Spector and Kathy-Ann Gobin DID RIDGEFIELD TRIO INGEST GHB DRUG? Teens Getting Better After Near-Fatal Dose RIDGEFIELD - Two local high school students have awakened from comas after reportedly taking a dangerous street drug, GHB, after final exams Monday. Gamma hydroxybutyrate is the suspected cause of more than a dozen hospitalizations in the state this week as youth eager for summer break try to celebrate with the intoxicating but potentially lethal drug, health officials said yesterday. "Kids are partying with it, they look fine and then they are on the floor," said Dr. Mary McCormick, administrative director at the Connecticut Poison Control Center. David Grover and James O'Connor, 16-year-old sophomores at Ridgefield High School, appear to have ingested GHB before they were found unconscious by rescus crews Monday afternoon, said Dr. George Terranova, head of Danbury Hospital emergency department. Both were put on life support, Terranova said. O'Conner regained consciousness Monday night, while Grover was removed from a respirator yesterday morning, police said. Grover, of Oreneca Road, and O'Conner, of Taporneck Court, were in fair condition last night at Danbury Hospital. A third classmate, Andrew Pitre, 16, was revived by emergency teams when they arrived at the scene on Armand Road near West Mountain Estates at about 1 p.m. Monday. Pitre, of Eleven Levles Road, was released from the hospital yesterday morning. "They came about as close to dying as you are going to get," said Terranova, adding the drug is "one of the most dangerous things I've seen on the street in a long time." Taking GHB-also called Liquid X, cherry meth, easy lay, oxy sleep, natural sleep and scoop--can produce euphoric and hallucinatory states. But it depresses the central nervous and respiratory systems, often resulting in death by suffocation. "Apparently, from what I understand, they just finished taking exams at school and they were 'looking to celebrate,'" Terranova said. Known as a common "date rape" drug, GHB is found mainly in liquid form, but sometimes as a powder. Health officials said as little as a tablespoon can cause death, and can be slipped easily into a drink without the drinker's knowledge. The victims' families and friends huddled outside the intensive care unit after the incident. Pitre and his family would not discuss the event, simply saying he and others have learned their lesson. "There is no way in trying to be safe with drugs," he said. "You never know (what could happen)." A fourth, sober, friend called police after the three boys collapsed, Pitre said. Fred Pitre, the boy's father, said, "It's probably the scariest incident that happened in my life. I'm just glad police acted quickly and properly. I hope the kids learned their lesson." Four youths were hospitalized over the weekend at Griffin Hospital in Derby for allegedly taking GHB, state health officials said. Meanwhile, eight young people in Hartford were hospitalized Monday night after reportedly ingesting the drug. In April, a 20-year-old East Lyme man was the first in the state whose death was attributed to the drug. Ridgefield police Major John Roche would not confirm the substance the local students took. Samples of the drug are being tested at state police labs, he said. Roche said he has not heard of GHB being passed through town. Police were investigating how the students got the substance. High school Principal Joseph Ellis announced the students' conditions over school loudspeakers yesterday morning. Despite its dangers, GHB is not a controlled substance and is not illegal to possess in Connecticut, said state police Detective Orlando Mo of the Statewide Narcotics Task Force. It is, however, illegal to sell or manufacture the drug, Mo said. The problem, he said, is the drug's components are sold legally, making it wasy for people with the recipe to concoct it. A major component is cleaning solvent. "I can't stress enough that a teaspoonful is deadly in the liquid form," said Mo, adding it surfaced in the state only a few months ago. GHB, originally promoted as a steroid alternative for body building, was banned by the federal Food and Drug Administration in 1990 and has not been approved for medical use. The drug has been banned in 11 states; Rhode Island is the only one in the Northeast. Anyone with information regarding the incident are asked to call the Ridgefield Police Department's confidential tip phone number at 203-431-2345. [inset] Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) GHB FACTS - - Frequently taken at "rave" parties in conjunction with alcohol. Also a common "date rape" drug. - - Abused as both a depressant, which produces euphoric and hallucinatory states, and a steroid to help build muscle mass. - - Impairs the central nervous and respiratory depression systems, often resulting in death by suffocation. - - Difficult to detect because it leaves the system quickly and cannot be detected by standard drug tests. - - Most commonly found in liquid form, and sometimes as a powder. Often sold for $10 per "swig," a typical dosage lasting from 3-6 hours. - - The use of GHB has been banned by the FDA since 1990. SYMPTOMS - - Drowsiness - - Dizziness - - Nausea - - Visual Disturbance - - Unconsciousness - - Seizures - - Severe respiratory - - Coma STREET NAMES - - Liquid X - - Georgia Home Boy - - Goop - - Scoop - - Gamma-OH - - Grievous Bodily Source: U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D