What’s fantasy – and why use of the drug is rising in SA
This week, six people in one morning were rushed to Flinders overdosed on a drug once not commonly seen in Adelaide – so what’s behind the rise in the use of fantasy?
Police & Courts
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Increased availability of liquid fantasy arising from the coronavirus pandemic is leaving naive people at significant risk of overdose, a leading health expert warns.
South Australian Network of Drug and Alcohol Services chief executive Michael White said there had been a shift in the drugs people were using and how they obtained them.
His warning follows revelations last week that six people were rushed to hospital after they overdosed on party drug GHB also known as fantasy or liquid ecstasy.
Three males and three females were admitted to Flinders Medical Centre’s emergency department, where two received treatment in the intensive care unit.
It sparked an urgent warning from authorities about the dangers of illicit drugs. It was unknown if the cases were from the same gathering as each person arrived individually.
Mr White said the international trade that brought methamphetamine and other drugs into Australia had slowed because of COVID-19.
He said he believed people who distributed drugs were starting to manufacture locally “and GHB is relatively easy to manufacture”.
“The likelihood is people who haven’t had access to other stuff are getting offered GHB and therefore choosing to use it. It has parallels to MDMA,” Mr White said.
“With venues shutting for the period of time they did, the way of acquiring drugs has probably changed.
“It’s more likely people are looking online and making connections online and then meeting.”
GHB is a colourless, odourless liquid of variable concentration, usually sold in small vials. The common illicit dose is 1ml or 2ml.
Common symptoms include unconsciousness that can last for three to four hours, confusion, irritation, irregular or shallow breathing, hallucinations and vomiting.
Mr White said that, anecdotally, there was a growth in naive young people taking a drug that was commonly linked to overdoses because of its potency.
“People don’t go out with the intention of ending up in emergency and they don’t go out with the intention of getting really damaged. They go out with the intention of having fun,” he said.
“There’s clearly a significant risk to people using it and people should be thinking very hard before they use it.
“It sounds like there are a lot of naive people out there thinking ‘I’m bulletproof’ and there is so much variability in this stuff that they’re not.”
Mr White said while a lot of people had stopped drinking and using illicit drugs during the pandemic, there were others who were consuming more “and possibly partying harder than they should be”.
He noted while there was increased funding for mental health services in the Federal Budget, there had been no such commitment towards drug and alcohol treatment.
If you would like to speak to someone about an alcohol or drug problem contact the Alcohol and Drug Information Service on 1300 13 13 40 or visit knowyouroptions.sa.gov.au
