Posted on 02/27/2018 11:26:54 AM PST by nickcarraway
A Russian-designed anti-anxiety drug, easily bought online, was still considered the main culprit as police awaited toxicology results following a mass overdose at a private Gold Coast school.
Seven Saint Stephen's College students were rushed to hospital from the prestigious Upper Coomera school on Wednesday afternoon after they were seen falling in and out of consciousness.
Five Saint Stephen’s College students remained in hospital on Thursday evening as police sought to confirm whether they had taken a Russian-designed drug known as phenibut, available online.
Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Aubort said officers had recovered what appeared to be a powdered drug from the school.
He revealed the seven year 10 students, aged 14 and 15, took different doses of the drug at different times throughout the morning, “everything from a taste to what I would call a significant amount”.
The Gold Coast Child Protection and Investigation Unit’s number one priority was confirming what drug the students had taken.
“Incidents such as these just show how critical drugs are when used incorrectly,” Senior Sergeant Aubort said.
“So the reality is any illicit drug is dangerous. Kids need to understand that.”
The CPIU officer-in-charge said phenibut, a drug with anxiety-reducing and cognition-enhancing effects, was being considered as the culprit but he was still waiting on toxicology reports.
The drug is listed for sale online, including on one Australian-based website as recently as this week, and police were looking into whether that was how the students got hold of it.
Police had a good understanding of what happened in the lead-up to the overdoses but were still trying to confirm whether more of the drug was yet to be recovered.
"We certainly do need to be sure that we can account for all of the drugs that were involved," he said.
"So if there is any information out there from any person at all, be that a student or family, who has any information about the existence of more of this drug or its uses elsewhere, we'd appreciate that information to come to us."
Senior Sergeant Aubort acknowledged comments about the drug-taking being filmed on social app Snapchat, but said his officers had yet to find evidence of it. He appealed for anyone with such footage to notify police.
Border Force was among several outside agencies the Queensland Police Service had called in to help investigate the incident.
The school's headmaster, Jamie Dorrington, released a statement on Thursday that had already been distributed to parents and staff at the college.
"The past 24 hours have been a particularly distressing and emotional time for our school community," he said.
"We are deeply appreciative of the heartfelt thoughts and prayers that have been flowing in for the students and their families."
Dr Dorrington said himself and two staff members visited the hospital on Wednesday night and that he had returned again on Thursday morning to check the condition of the students.
"I am not privy to specific details on the conditions of the remaining students as this is personal medical information provided only to family members," he said.
University of Queensland drugs expert Jake Najman called for better drug information in schools, saying information given to students on drugs should not be a "half an hour school lesson".
Professor Najman said governments needed to invest in developing intensive, long-term drug education for students.
"It's a much more systematic problem that needs real commitment and not just a headline saying, 'Don't do it'," he said.
Execute the dealers and this $hit will stop. No deals, no plea bargains; street level or kingpin.
If the Russians can investigate drugs involvement in these mass shootings, why can’t the U.S.?
There was a time when the majority of young people would not take drugs as not to pollute their bodies. They believed their bodies were temples of the Holy Ghost. Chesterton was right. When people stop believing in God, they will believe in anything.
What happened to learning how to overcome anxiety and learning how to focus under stress. That is an important skill set. If you cheat with pharmaceuticals how does that help a kid learn? Many adults in the workplace never learn and cheat with prescribed meds.
The Army was a really good teacher for me. But it stars in elementary school. Unless a child has been prescribed his whole life. what chance does that future adult have to learn how to cope? None probably.
“””””The CPIU officer-in-charge said phenibut, a drug with anxiety-reducing and cognition-enhancing effects,””””””
A good exercise session will do the same thing. Of course the kid would have to leave the couch to do that.
Teens yet again doing what teens do
Lord of The Flies
“There was a time when the majority of young people would not take drugs as not to pollute their bodies. “
Not a time that I remember
Kids these days. Why can’t they use good old quaaludes in school like we used to?
I don’t know how available they were in school, but their production was severely curtailed in the early 80’s. I don’t know if even Bill Cosby can get them now.
This drug is legal and used for anxiety disorders. It’s generally only dangerous when overdosed.
Kids will experiment with altered unconsciousness at some level. From spinning in circles to choking themselves, to drinking a beer to eating/smoking plants. It’s just human nature and they may as well be safe and educated. Otherwise you get kids chugging cough syrup, huffing solvents or ordering Russian junk online
They were available at my school, as was anything else, though I don’t remember heroin, back in the day. They used our school as the school in a high school drug episode of some cop show at the time and it was typecasting. Busy, absent parents and $$$. And the narcs on campus looked 30 and loved the high school girls. People being bused in from all over the city, meant lots of drugs from everywhere. Entrepreneur zones in the E building.
I’m teaching my kids ALL drugs are stupid
No one forced these teenagers to be stupid
No one forces junkies to be so
Don’t give stupid pills and drugs that much power
The human will is much stronger
As long as guvmint continues to lie about drugs and equate them all
This is what you get
Cannibis is the only worthwhile entheogen and it’s not for everyone
These help you focus and remember without caffeine.
I’ve had it and it’s helpful, but you need to measure it properly.
This was a mass overdose at the school. Not a shooting.
“” “” Folks, “phenibut” is not an illegal drug. It is a class of supplements known as “nootropics.”
These help you focus and remember without caffeine.
I’ve had it and it’s helpful, but you need to measure it properly. “” “”
Bingo. The idea of nootropes is to enhance blood circulation within brain. It doesn’t have any psycho-active effects. As you correctly pointed out it is closer to caffeine than cocaine and it doesn’t have some negative sides caffeine has.
Exercise doesn’t help with severe anxiety and panic attacks. It is only beneficial for average, everyday anxiety.
It’s hard to exercise when your body is violently shaking and you are unable to move or walk.
My anxiety and panic attacks are caused by past traumatic events and an excess amount of Serotonin. Serotonin Syndrome is not a good experience.
I am prescribed Xanax and it has saved my life. Anti-Anxiety drugs can be a godsend, if used as prescribed.
But, I admit that I’m not comfortable with teens using them. Maybe, only in extreme cases, when every other option has failed.
Phenibut is a little different from Benzos. Phenibut and Benzos are similar in that they reduce anxiety, but Phenibut improves cognition and focus. Unfortunately, Benzos can reduce concentration and cause short term memory loss.
Phenibut and Benzos are dangerous for kids (or anyone) to abuse because dependency builds very quickly and withdrawal is absolute hell and can even be fatal.
“”””But, I admit that I’m not comfortable with teens using them. Maybe, only in extreme cases, when every other option has failed.””””””””””””
I agree with your assessment. But I think the big problem comes because every kid with a little anxiety gets the idea that it can only be fixed with drugs. Add to that parents who can’t say no and coddle their little snowflakes and you have a disaster.
A kid that fidgets or is distracted is often a candidate for Ritalin because a stoned kid is easier for the teacher to deal with. The solution to everything these days seems to be drugs. Nobody has the nads to tell these kids to suck it up and stop whining.
We are in complete agreement regarding today’s whining snowflakes.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.