Man dies at Southport after suspected drug overdose

Authorities are dealing with an alarming spike in overdoses on the Gold Coast linked to a deadly party drug. It comes amid the death of a man at Southport on Tuesday.

Gold Coast paramedics are treating up to 10 drug overdose patients a day amid a concerning spike in the use of the dangerous drug Fantasy.

A 57-year-old Gold Coast man died at Southport on Tuesday from a suspected Fantasy overdose, with his death the latest in a rapidly growing list of drug-related incidents on the Glitter Strip this year.

Sean Grey was pronounced dead at a Southport housing commission apartment complex after a suspected Fantasy overdose.

Paramedics responded to a Triple 0 call about 5am and rushed to the Worendo Street address, but Mr Grey could not be revived.

Police officers were seen attending the Southport property about 10am on Tuesday. Picture: Tahlia Leathart

Last month, 40-year-old Danielle Whittaker died and two friends were hospitalised after a suspected mass overdose on a cocktail of drugs including Fantasy at a Surfers Paradise high-rise apartment.

There have been at least three other overdose deaths from Fantasy, or GHB, on the Gold Coast in recent weeks, with fears “a bad batch” was circulating among drug users.

However, Inspector Adam Flory from the Queensland Ambulance Service said no amount of so-called “party drugs” were safe and paramedics were treating Fantasy overdose patients every day.

“There are no safe drugs and because you don’t know what’s in it, there is no safe amount,” he said.

“You don’t know the potency of the drug and you don’t know if there’s a particular potent batch doing the rounds.

“We’re seeing paramedics responding to 3-4 GHB overdoses in a single shift,” he said.

“Over the last few weeks there has been a marked increase in drug overdoses on the Gold Coast and we are seeing deaths as a result and a lot of these are involving GHB.”

Danielle Whittaker died on the Gold Coast after celebrating her 40th birthday with friends. Picture: Facebook

While party drugs are often widely viewed as the domain of the young, Inspector Flory said there was no “typical” overdose patient.

“This is right across the demographics,” he said.

“Young, old, drugs don’t discriminate.”

He said Fantasy overdose patients were often unconscious, but could quickly turn violent once they came to.

“They go from one extreme to the other,” he said.

Chief Superintendent Craig Hanlon from the Queensland Police Service said there could be a number of reasons for the increase in Fantasy overdoses, ranging from increased potency to simply greater supply if more product was flooding the market.

“Prices and availability could be a factor,” he said.

“If Fantasy is cheaper than alternatives, you’ll see an increase in the use and an increase in trouble with it.

“They’re called dangerous drugs for a reason and that’s why we say to people “Don’t do it”.”

The spike in cases being treated by paramedics follows reports from Gold Coast University Hospital in February with more than 20 people aged from 18-35 treated for GHB overdoses over a span of several days.

GHB acts as a sedative and can slow the body’s organs to the point patients lose consciousness.

Nausea, vomiting, headaches and tremors are other noted side effects.