Lethal Drink-Drugs Combination

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31093, 23 June 1966, Page 1

Lethal Drink-Drugs Combination

Medical and scientific authorities i n Christchurch fear that a growing number of persons are unwittingly killing themselves by taking drags and alcohol at the same time. Their deep concern Is supported by the District Coroner (Mr A. T. Bell), who said yesterday that in several cases in the last three years he had been unable to give definite verdicts on deaths where driik and drugs had both been involved. In the last three ygars Mr Bell ha» inquired into 21

deaths caused by taking barbiturates or other drugs.

“There have also been 13 cases where the cause of death has been the combination of alcohol and barbiturates,” he said. “The big concern today is the danger of people taking drugs and consuming alcohol at the same time. The view I take is that of the number of deaths involving drugs in the last three years, one every three months has been caused by a combination of alcohol and barbiturates.

“Apparently the public are not aware of the danger of taking a combination of the two. My advice is that people who take drugs should not drink, and those who drink should not take drugs.” The District Medical Officer

[of Health (Dr. L. F. Jepson) said yesterday that a considerable number of persons had barbiturate drugs, and could be unaware of the risk they ran by taking them with alcohol.

Last year 103 persons were admitted to the Christchurch Hospital after taking overdoses of drugs. In nearly 20 per cent of the cases, alcohol was known to be present. The Department of Scientific and Industrial Research has added interest to the problem by compiling a record of cases where death has been caused by a combination of drink and drugs. The Chemistry Division in Christchurch has already obtained samples from 30 cases, but w»jnts many more before any information or conclu-

sions can be drawn. Scientists say they may be unable to draw any conclusions relating to the quantitative effect of alcohol on barbiturates. All D.S.I.R. offices in New Zealand are cooperating in the study of the problem by sending samples to Christchurch.

The Deputy-Director of the Mental Health Division of the Department of Health (Dr. J. Hall) said that many alcoholics took barbiturates, and many took more barbiturates than they needed. It was doubly dangerous for persons affected by drink and drugs to be in charge of

motor-vehicles. Their reaction and judgment were doubly impaired?