Drug overdose, a big monster under the carpet

Times of India: Panaji: Tuesday, 29 December 2015.

Goa's party scene, whether in the coastal belt down South Agonda and Palolem or the more famous beach stretch of North Calangute, Candolim, Baga, Anjuna, or further up Morjim and Arambol, is not bereft of drugs.

The authorities too, accept this. But what has remained hidden or rather pushed under the carpet is a larger issue of drug overdose (OD) cases and related deaths.

In the last few years even though several cases of suspected OD cases in 2015 itself, four cases including three deaths have been reported, outspread of the problem has been just ignored as if it is a natural consequence.

Dr Jawaharlal Henriques, director at St Anthony's Hospital, Anjuna, which also runs a drug rehabilitation centre, rates the problem as a very serious one. Every second day his hospital receives at least one OD case.

Between 2008 and 2012, there must have been over 50 suspected OD cases relating to foreigners, says a source attached to the police department. This number excludes the local cases which mostly go unreported, except if the person involved is a domestic tourist. Suspected OD death of a tourist though creates a momentary furore; everything dies down after a while.

Attempts to obtain information about OD cases under the RTI from forensic department of Goa Medical College (GMC) and hospital, Bambolim, were not fruitful. On the first occasion, department furnished names of all (1,180) bodies on which postmortem was conducted in GMC between 2008 and 2012 and not just of OD victims.

Second time, information was ostensibly declined on the ground that it cannot be shared as police investigation was under progress, even though in majority of the cases investigations never reached its logical conclusion.

A forensic expert, attached to forensic department of GMC for many years, says it is difficult to prove a case of OD if viscera are not sent for chemical analysis on time. Ideally, it has to be sent for testing within a week's time to get the right result. Thanks to procedural delays, he says viscera are sent most of the times, a week or two weeks later. Not surprisingly, viscera test negative for any kind of narcotic substance most of the time, and police are free to claim there are no OD cases.

Two weeks ago, Bombay high court at Goa while disposing off a petition filed by NCP chief spokesperson, Trajano D'Mello directed the police to submit investigation reports in two suspected OD deaths of Neha Bahuguna, Bengaluru and Isha Mantry, Mumbai.

In 2010, Neha, 23, died suspected of OD while she was in Goa to attend an electronic dance music (EDM). A 28-year-old Mumbai fashion designer, Isha died in December 2014, also died during an EDM.

SP (anti narcotic cell) (ANC), Karthik Kashyap said, in both the cases viscera reports came negative for OD. Denying allegations, he maintains that in cases where viscera report confirms OD due investigation is conducted.

A source says it is a different ball game all together. It is advantage police if the case is not registered as OD, as they don't have to go after a drug peddler or dealer and can close the case.

Family of the deceased, if it involves a foreign national, in all probability, does not press for investigation. "If the cause of death is proved as OD, the family stands to lose insurance money," said a source.

What's alarming is, in many OD cases, and which even Dr Henriques pointed out that affected persons had never abused drugs.

In majority cases that he had seen, he says victim's drink was spiked with an intention to rob or rape, or both, in case the target was a female. Currently, he is treating two European youth who were brought to the hospital in an unconscious state. He suspects, their drinks were mixed up with some other substance by someone who wanted to rob them, while they were partying at a joint in Candolim. To their luck, one of the two, on feeling uneasy decided to return to their hotel.

In another case, he says an air hostess who was in Goa for a holiday with her partner last month, had a similar experience. Her drink was spiked while partying at a popular joint in North Goa.

Most commonly used substances to adulterate drugs are quinine, meow meow or mephedrone and ketamine. Ketamine, an anesthetic drug was widely misused until meow meow arrived on the scene. Though meow meow is banned, drug abuse has not been stopped, says a doctor who has also treated a couple of OD cases.

Generally, a drug is mixed with another substance that gels well with the original substance. A dealer or peddler will indulge in such things to enhance his profit. "It's a done thing," says a drug addict, who manages to get his regular fix from a peddler in Calangute. Sometimes, he himself uses the trick when short on money. "You can mix anything from chalk power to Crocin tablet powder. Domestic tourists never suspect," he talks of his conquest with tourists. Nevertheless, he rues the fact that it is difficult to get pure drugs.