Court suppresses details of sportsman who died after P use

The athlete had smoked about five puffs of methamphetamine as well as cannabis before he collapsed. File photo / Martin Sykes

A Bay of Plenty sportsman who collapsed and died after using methamphetamine and cannabis during a training session has had his identity concealed by the courts.

At an inquest into the man's death in Tauranga yesterday, Coroner Wallace Bain suppressed the name of the deceased, as well as any significant identifying details, following a request from the man's family.

The court heard how the man collapsed while resting during a heavy training session, which followed him smoking about five puffs of methamphetamine - also known as P - from a pipe and consuming cannabis head mixed with tobacco.

The amount of cannabis consumed was described as being three times larger than the usual cones of cannabis, being the size of a "compacted jaffa lolly."

After collapsing, the man began convulsing, with the seizures lasting for three to four minutes.

The man was taken to Tauranga Hospital and taken off life support several days later.

Pathologist John Viggiano, who performed the autopsy, told the court that in his opinion death was due to brain swelling, caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain after a fatal cardiac event.

The cardiac event was likely to be related to the use of methamphetamine and cannabis.

There were no signs of a gross bodily injury or a head injury, he said.

Dr Viggiano said both methamphetamine and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) were present in the blood samples taken from the deceased.

Dr Viggiano told the court that when the sample was extrapolated back to the time of consumption it was estimated that the level of methamphetamine could have been as much as 2.2 or 2.5 milligrams, placing it within the toxic range.

Dr Viggiano said methamphetamine affected the central nervous system and changed the channels in the brain.

It over-stimulated various sensory nerves, raised the pulse rate and heart rate and seizures could occur when the brain was starved of oxygen, resulting in sudden cardiac death, even in the fittest person.

Dr Viggiano said this could happen at any level of drug use and cannabis consumption could also increase the risk of cardio-toxic death.

The combination of extreme exercise and drug use increased the risk of cardiac-toxic effects and proved to be a "fatal combination" in this case.

The mother of the dead man told Dr Bain it was shocking to learn of her son's drug use as it was "very much out of character for him to take drugs" and not something he would normally do, being an extremely fit person.

Dr Viggiano said there was no evidence to suggest her son was an abuser of drugs but said he clearly had a lethal reaction.

Dr Bain reserved his findings into the cause of the man's death.

Methamphetamine

Methamphetamine is a member of the "amphetamine" group of synthetic or designer drugs that have a powerful simulant effect on a person's central nervous system. It is extremely addictive and destructive.

The crystal form of the drug is the most pure and becoming more common. It is called "ice" due to its appearance - white or translucent crystals.

Some P is imported from countries like China but most is manufactured in New Zealand in clandestine drug laboratories known as "clan labs".

Increased use commonly results in compounding paranoia, psychosis and extreme mood swings, and this in turn can lead to violence and violent offending.

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