Contaminated cannabis

Duck's hoop

studiorat wrote: »

First thing I thought when I heard the story was Opiated Hash. Too much of that would put you in hospital no problem.

I'm sorry but I think this is another myth from the 80s. Who's going to throw their unwanted, surplus opium into a block of resin?

It was said that's what genuine temple ball was all about, but I seriously doubt this is what the boyos are selling in Drogheda.

FTA69

Cathal Cloch wrote: »

Yeah you're talking about drug abuse/misuse.

Misuse/abuse is something that authoritards tend to get confused about and muddies the waters for them on the legalisation issue the poor cretters.

Nobody who advocates doing away with prohibition is saying misusing drugs is a good lifestyle choice; rather, making a criminal out of an addict is only going to make things worse for him. Better to treat drug misuse as a social problem than a problem of criminality.

See my earlier posts mate. I'm pro-legalisation and regulation. I don't judge anyone for the use of drugs considering the fact I get drunk on a regular basis.

The only qualm I have with is with those who portray cannabis as entirely positive and entirely harmless when that's not often the case.

Legalise and regulate I've always said.

120_Minutes

"The women, both in their 20s, are being treated in the Intensive Care Unit at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda.
One of the women became ill on Monday night.
It is understood that she has not regained consciousness since being admitted to hospital and is on a life support machine.
The second woman became seriously ill in the early hours of yesterday morning."


whatever it's contaminated with, it aint good.

Karl Stein

FTA69 wrote: »

See my earlier posts mate. I'm pro-legalisation and regulation. I don't judge anyone for the use of drugs considering the fact I get drunk on a regular basis.

The only qualm I have with is with those who portray cannabis as entirely positive and entirely harmless when that's not often the case.

Legalise and regulate I've always said.

Yeah I know! That's exactly what I was saying. It's self-evident that drug misuse is bad for people and prohibitionists like to portray us who support the cessation of the war on drugs people as advocates of a drugged up lifestyle.

sbsquarepants

optimistic_ wrote: »

Whoa whoa whoa there!! Don't you be going replying to other comments without addressing that Hash Brownie / LSD debacle - Explain yourself!

A tiny little hint even???

frank reynolds

FTA69 wrote: »

First of all I never said "turning your brain to mush" with a view to making a scientific point or anything. (No need for a load of jargon juice!) It's a quote from Robert De Niro in Goodfellas and was meant to be tongue in cheek.

However, I don't think constant and prolonged use of cannabis is a beneficial or harmless thing either. In many cases it isn't the end of the world if someone smokes every day, you're a case in point I suppose. There are, on the other hand, many people who blame grass for being a major negative influence in their lives. I'm from a council estate and grew up around the stuff, a lot of people I know are always professing the need "to get off the smoke" with some of them going as far as hypnotherapy. Many people get a reliance on it and if you're poor then constantly buying cannabis will have a serious financial impact on you and yours. I know it isn't physically addictive, but neither are many addictions (i.e. gambling) and there are some people who simply cannot give it up or use it as a crutch.

Constantly smoking the stuff is also pretty bad if you're in a rut or out of work as I think it plays a part in reinforcing that sort of lifestyle. Even if you are successful or content in a particular job, I also know too many people who just come home and get zonked in front of the telly. No getting them out to the pub, no getting them out for a munch or a game of pool. The work/get stoned cycle is an easy one to slip into.

Is smoking every night as bad as drinking every night? I wouldn't say so, but getting constantly intoxicated on a daily basis on anything (including green) is a bad cycle to be in I'd say.

you know what, i do take your point, so thanks for clarifying that, and i think i went overboard slightly with my rant in one or two parts - didnt get the De'niro reference either so, sorry about that!

i think drink is the worst of the lot of them, and my argument, would be that if there is worse addictions out there that are legal, then why not just legalise weed too?

i just want to clarify, that, yes, i smoke quite a lot of the stuff, but i dont drink heavily, but that would be my point:

People have their own vices, whether thats a drug, drink, prostitutes, internet addiction, food, etc etc ....

i understand that everyone is different and same with any of the "vices" i mentioned above, there will always be abusers of the drug too.

My name is URL

So what happens now? Will Gardai release the results of the tests and name which dealer(s) may be responsible for supplying it so that other people won't become ill?

bitburger

http://fadedfools.com/medical_marijuana/exclusive_green_crackn.jpg


this is what weed looks like for those who do not realise, not so hard to see why someone might bulk it up with glass particles now,


hash is much more commonly bulked up with diesel and stuff, i tend to avoid hash

mikom

bitburger wrote: »

http://fadedfools.com/medical_marijuana/exclusive_green_crackn.jpg


this is what weed looks like for those who do not realise,

Yum.

My name is URL wrote: »

So what happens now? Will Gardai release the results of the tests and name which dealer(s) may be responsible for supplying it so that other people won't become ill?

The dealer has already issued a recall, and will replace or refund those who bought the contaminated hash........

Odysseus

Kettleson wrote: »

"Common" is probably not the correct terminology to use in a scientific data context.

And no, I don't have any stats. But I would be interested to know how many people have died due to drug contamination in Ireland and from your questions and your profession, I must presume that these are not readily available.

The number of drug related deaths are released I think yearly; drug contaminated never seen any stats, I would say that deaths due to contamination are very very rare in Ireland.

I could be wrong, but I can only think of one or two examples during the course of my career and I would not have known the individuals concerned.

donegal_road

This could easily have happened to anyone who has ever taken a smoke. It has serious implications.

This is from the Independent..

One 25-year-old is said to have “catastrophic” injuries and is suffering from multiple organ failure.

In a recent survey, 25% of Irish people have admitted to using cannabis. Link





.

steddyeddy

Right a bit of CSI boards please!

Whatever is mixed with this cannabis is binding to different receptors than just cannabis. I would put money on there being some sort of synthetic drug involved. Change the position of one atom within a molecule and you can completely change how it reacts (or doesn’t) in the body.

My name is URL

mikom wrote: »

Yum.



The dealer has already issued a recall, and will replace or refund those who bought the contaminated hash........

I was being serious fwiw. Surely if Gardai know what chemical or other substance is to blame, the batches effected, and the people who potentially supplied it to the girls in question then they have a responsibility to release that info in order to protect others?

One of the girls lives only a couple of miles away from me. I'd like to know who the feck she bought it off so that I can be sure to steer well clear of them!

mikom

My name is URL wrote: »

I was being serious fwiw. Surely if Gardai know what chemical or other substance is to blame, the batches effected, and the people who potentially supplied it to the girls in question then they have a responsibility to release that info in order to protect others?

One of the girls lives only a couple of miles away from me. I'd like to know who the feck she bought it off so that I can be sure to steer well clear of them!

How will people be able to tell the batches apart?

steddyeddy

mikom wrote: »

How will people be able to tell the batches apart?

A lot of ways really. Chromatography or a lot of other methods by which chemical structure is elucidated.

mikom

mikom wrote: »

How will people be able to tell the batches apart?

steddyeddy wrote: »

A lot of ways really. Chromatography or a lot of other methods by which chemical structure is elucidated.

Gas chromatography?............... in someones front room?

steddyeddy

mikom wrote: »

Gas chromatography?............... in someones front room?

There's many different forms of Chromatography. They don't have to do it in someones front room either. If the girls have any of the chemical left over they can test that!

Grayson

mikom wrote: »

Gas chromatography?............... in someones front room?

Thin layer chromatography maybe?

Honestly though, I think I'd be able to tell if grass was contaminated. Lets face it, chemicals taste like ick and it's probably the same for 99% of them when they're burned.

Anyone remember the legend that was triple dipped? hash that was supposedly dipped in speed, LSD and something else. And I had friends who used to swear it was great. Of course it was an urban legend. All that **** burns off and so even if the hash was "dipped" there's no way you'd get any extra effect.

I'd say it's likely the girls that smoked this stuff knew it was contaminated and smoked it for one of two reasons.
1) they were told that it was contaminated with stuff that would make the high even higher.
2) it was contaminated in transport. Like the way hash used to occasionally get contaminated in Diesel. And anyone who has ever tried diesel can tell you it's the mankiest stuff around. You'd get headaches and coughs. But dealers would generally sell it cheaply.

Spunge

Eileen Down wrote: »

Prohibition

this would have zero thanks if it was about contaminated heroin.

mikom

steddyeddy wrote: »

There's many different forms of Chromatography. They don't have to do it in someones front room either. If the girls have any of the chemical left over they can test that!

You're missing my point.

John-joe buys hash off Paddy............. "What batch is this, Paddy" asks John-joe............... "batch 34-67-89, packed 13 May 2013, replied Paddy, never.

steddyeddy

mikom wrote: »

You're missing my point.

John-joe buys hash off Paddy............. "What batch is this, Paddy" asks John-joe............... "batch 34-67-89, packed 13 May 2013, replied Paddy, never.

No you're missing my point. I was talking about the batch that the two girls smoked. That should be tested if there's any left and we could be able to trace the source.

mikom

steddyeddy wrote: »

No you're missing my point. I was talking about the batch that the two girls smoked. That should be tested if there's any left and we could be able to trace the source.

Like the way they are able to trace the source of all confiscated hash once it is run through chromatography?

steddyeddy

mikom wrote: »

Like the way they are able to trace the source of all confiscated hash once it is run through chromatography?

I mean at the very least they can deduce the chemical compistion of this. And no it would be different in this case because the chemical compistion is different. They're not looking for hash.

zenno

The question is... was this hashish block or cannabis bud ? That hash block is dodgy stuff and is mixed with things that would make your head spin if you really knew what was in it.

steddyeddy

Bottom line is that they need to get the dealer involved before anyone else gets sick.

whitesands

This has feck all to do with hash, the pair of them obviously took something else, contaminated hash leads to organ failure, get a grip :rolleyes:

rambutman

From the rte website

The HSE has advised that a contaminated batch of cannabis resin appears to be circulating in the Cavan/Louth/Meath area and that reports have been received of unusual side effects.

Its resin - not bud................resin would be a lot easier to muck with when you're making it - personally i wouldn't even smoke resin anymore - its too rough on the throat for the most part.

As for contaminated weed. I've seen that glass stuff in the past (the stuff with the ground up glass like powder). The rest of the time bud can be sprayed with any number of things - mostly not harmful but gives an slight after taste. It can also be dipped and dryed out again...............i think 7up was what they were dipping it in before. It's purely to bring the weight up. If you know your weed you can usually tell.

What probably happened is some crim-gang got a load of it in - not realising what they were getting till it was already imported - and just wanted to off-load it anyway they could. About 2 years ago there was a **** load of sh1t hash brought in and they were off loading it for next to nothing (1000 euro on the kg)...............the only thing wrong with it was that it was pure utter crap - you couldn't even get stoned smoking it.....most of the guys bringing it in couldn't give 2 4ucks for the quality - its not for the love of ganja they're doing it.

zenno

whitesands wrote: »

This has feck all to do with hash, the pair of them obviously took something else, contaminated hash leads to organ failure, get a grip :rolleyes:

HUH ^. Do you have proof of this ? how do you know they took something else ?. It was contaminated cannabis is all i heard.

castletownman

I heard it was Nidge pawning off nettles as new quality **** from Holland.

The Weasel.

Kettleson

Odysseus wrote: »

The number of drug related deaths are released I think yearly; drug contaminated never seen any stats, I would say that deaths due to contamination are very very rare in Ireland.

I could be wrong, but I can only think of one or two examples during the course of my career and I would not have known the individuals concerned.

Thanks for that. I wonder are there any stats for poisoning/serious illness/near fatal cases caused by drug contamination?

whitesands

zenno wrote: »

HUH ^. Do you have proof of this ? how do you know they took something else ?. It was contaminated cannabis is all i heard.

No I don't have proof, common sense though. How come nobody else got hospitalised but 2 friends?
Also, what would it be contaminated with that leads to organ failure, were talking resin here.

Odysseus

Kettleson wrote: »

Thanks for that. I wonder are there any stats for poisoning/serious illness/near fatal cases caused by drug contamination?

Not that I am aware of, the only stats I'm aware off would be one that covers drug related deaths, such as ODs etc. On average we put out contaminated alerts approx 4-6 times a years.

jam_mac_jam

This sounds a bit fishy to me.

Kettleson

Odysseus wrote: »

Not that I am aware of, the only stats I'm aware off would be one that covers drug related deaths, such as ODs etc. On average we put out contaminated alerts approx 4-6 times a years.

Well there's another 2 now for this year unfortunately. Hard to believe it's that low. Are these figures from HSE sources?

zenno

Only two people had a severe reaction to this. Maybe they were just allergic to that particular weed/hash whatever they smoked because you would think more people would have been affected if there was a batch going around, we'll see in two day's after they test the stuff.

I am pie

Maybe they ate some of it, brownies, yoghurts or whatever...whatever it has been bulked up with might have been poisonous. Genuinely never heard anything like it before, it's not like the govt wouldn't push a good scare story if it had happened.

Organ failure sounds terminal, I pray that it isn't and these girls live to tell the tale. Poor girls.

Odysseus

Kettleson wrote: »

Well there's another 2 now for this year unfortunately. Hard to believe it's that low. Are these figures from HSE sources?

Well I'm only giving you my experience, as for alerts we get them passed from Public Health, and pass the info out to clients and other agencies.

I work for the HSE, but there is no offical report that I know of to quote that.

As to alerts, why do you think it is low?

Whereas certain drugs are bulked out with cheaper materials, it is not common in my experience for drugs to be contaminated with dangerous substances that will cause serious ill health.

As others have pointed out, drugs are a repeat business, if you posion your customers you lose money and custom.

withless

'contaminated'? cannabis'? shurley by its nature its just poison?

My name is URL

whitesands wrote: »

No I don't have proof, common sense though. How come nobody else got hospitalised but 2 friends?
Also, what would it be contaminated with that leads to organ failure, were talking resin here.

Maybe they were particularly sensitive to the contaminant? Nobody knows what the story is yet, or what chemical / adulterant is responsible, so calling bull**** on it all is just as silly as claiming to know that it could in no way be due to the hash or weed, or that they must have taken other drugs.

zenno

Some lazy growers use a lot of chemicals in the growing of cannabis and some of these growers do not flush the plant when it is at the end of it's flowering life and even this could cause some serious bad reactions from the chemicals if not clean flushed properly.

Kettleson

Odysseus wrote: »

Well I'm you my experience, as for alerts we get them passed from Public Health, and pass the info out to clients and other agencies.

I work for the HSE, but there is no offical report that I know of to quote that.

As to alerts, why do you think it is low?

Whereas certain drugs are bulked out with cheaper materials, it is not common in my experience for drugs to be contaminated with dangerous substances that will cause serious ill health.

As others have pointed out, drugs are a repeat business, if you posion your customers you lose money and custom.

Why do I think its low? Because it is low. As a "professional" I cant believe you've bought into that "poison your customers" bull****. Illegal drug manufacturers are not bothered particularly about the longevity of their trading reputation, especially those that will flood the market with sh1t, make a quick "killing" and disappear.

"Fine Purveyors of quality liquid crack" I think not.

Capt'n Midnight

mikom wrote: »

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pace2008
No, it is literally impossible. LSD is a very fragile chemical that degrades at room temperature if left for any length of time.





Are you saying there is LSD in Hash brownies?

Pace2008 was saying that LSD wouldn't ever be an issue because it would decompose if you tried to smoke it

I was just showing that there are other ways of consuming cannabis besides smoking.

nibble

I'd be willing to put a substantial wager on the fact that the hash was laced with a synthetic cannabinoid. Most likely one of those that has appeared in the last couple of years as opposed to those that were around readily 4-5 years ago.

For anyone that doesn't know what a synthetic cannabinoid is, put simply they are chemicals that mimic the effect of THC (the primary active component in cannabis sativa) in the body but are not necessarily chemically related to it, thereby formerly bypassing drug laws and allowing them to be sold in head-shops as components of "smoking blends" several years ago.

There have been several reports over the past few years in the medical literature of acute organ failure and similar after ingestion of some of these chemicals. However whether it was/is the chemicals themselves that caused these severe reactions or impurities of e.g. heavy metals that were used in their production isn't clear in many of the cases. If they both ingested it in some way (cookies/brownies etc) then I would see that supporting the heavy metal or similar hypothesis because smoking wouldn't allow the metal contaminants to be taken in easily. If they even are the contaminant of course.
It would seem to be quite a rare reaction in the case that it isn't to do with contamination from production but rather the synthetic chemicals themselves, because I would guess that many, many thousands of Kg's of them have been consumed in the past 5-6 years. Difficult to know..

Why cut hash with them? Simply because they are potent, cheap and will make poor quality/fake hash seem very strong. Could similarly be done to bud by solvent dissolution and then spraying and drying. A regular cannabis smoker would be able to distinguish the effect from actual/unlaced cannabis though, different sort of (although quite similar) "high".

Odysseus

Kettleson wrote: »

Why do I think its low? Because it is low. As a "professional" I cant believe you've bought into that "poison your customers" bull****. Illegal drug manufacturers are not bothered particularly about the longevity of their trading reputation, especially those that will flood the market with sh1t, make a quick "killing" and disappear.

"Fine Purveyors of quality liquid crack" I think not.

Back up a tad will you, what do you mean as a professional, exactly what was unprofessional about my post?

How do you know so much about illegal drug manufacturers? I'm starting to think you know very little about addiction and drug Ireland, especially as you can't answer a basic question.

mattjack

Odysseus wrote: »

Back up a tad will you, what do you mean as a professional, exactly what was unprofessional about my post?

How do you know so much about illegal drug manufacturers? I'm starting to think you know very little about addiction and drug Ireland, especially as you can't answer a basic question.

Looks like he's gone to bed.

steddyeddy

whitesands wrote: »

This has feck all to do with hash, the pair of them obviously took something else, contaminated hash leads to organ failure, get a grip :rolleyes:

It is contaminated hash by all accounts?

whitesands

steddyeddy wrote: »

It is contaminated hash by all accounts?

I very much doubt it, I'm not even sure how it's possible to contaminate hash to lead to someone getting organ failure from smoking it.
It's probably the worlds 1st & 2nd hash contaminated OD's ever recorded, hmmm, well done RTE.

steddyeddy

whitesands wrote: »

I very much doubt it, I'm not even sure how it's possible to contaminate hash to lead to someone getting organ failure from smoking it.
It's probably the worlds 1st & 2nd hash contaminated OD's ever recorded, hmmm, well done RTE.

A synthetic alternative to cannabis perhaps? That's what my moneys on. It would be very easy to contaminate something with that.

rolliepoley

Smokeing too much of the new bonzi.

If it looks like normal grass seed, thats it.

whitesands

All hash is contaminated, just with crap.
Even if someone did put a synthethic cannabanoid in (wtf) your still not getting organ failure.

This thread is ridiculous & so are RTE for their big alert.