Deaths from drug overdose

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33157, 22 February 1973, Page 2

Deaths from drug overdose

f.V Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, Feb. 21. It was most disturbing that eight people had died in the space of four mouths from the effects of an overdose of narcotics after receiving drugs on prescription from one doctor, the Auckland Coroner (Mr A. D.i Copeland) said today. The Coroner was holding an inquest in the Auckland Coroner’s Court into the death of Brenton James Maule, aged 20. of Monmouth Street. Grey Lynn. He found that Mr Maule died from methadone poisoning, selfadministered. The Coroner said the case brought to 10 the number of deaths associated with narcotic overdoses handled, by the Court since 1972. It; compared with a total of*

■ three deaths in the five years I , from 1968 to 1972. ’ It was most disturbing that! the last eight people had died in four months, all after I receiving drugs on prescription from one doctor. The Coroner said that in ; this period there was no re-' cord of any person dying; from drugs prescribed by any | other doctor. After the evidence in the; case had been taken, a man rose from the back of the Court and asked if he could address the Coroner. “I am the boy’s father," he; said. “Ninety-five per cent of all this (the evidence) is new to us (him and his wife). It is the first we have heard of much of it. “How come a medical practitioner can give a boy on drugs something that he can kill himself with?” The Coroner: “I appreciate your concern, Mr Maule, and I understand the matter is being taken up by the Health; Department.” Giving evidence, Detective*

i| Constable Anthony John; | Shalfoon, of the Auckland. : I drug squad, said he went to) l a house in Monmouth Streetlon the evening of December; 26. The body of Brenton Maule : was lying on a bed, and a ■ search revealed a bottle con-' ;staining 15 methadone tablets. J Inquiries showed that 56 tab-1 : lets had been dispensed to' : him on prescription on De- 1 cember 22. In a statement read to the l court by Detective Shalfoon, Dr Robin Anthony Roche said! he ran a treatment clinic for; narcotic addicts. Mr Maule consulted him in) July, 1972, and admitted then! that he had been using opi-l ates. Dr Roche said he pre-1 scribed six tablets daily to the patient, and told him to) move from Leigh, where he; was living, to Auckland, where he could join the treat- i rnent programme. On December 1, Mr Maule, said that because of the increasing pressures of city life , I he was unable to manage on : the daily dose of 30 milli-'j

grames of methadone. From! that time the dose was in-! creased to 40 milligrams. On December 15, because J Mr Maule said he was going) i to Leigh for a week, he was! prescribed a week’s supply | of- 56 tablets. Detective Shalfoon also read to the court a statement from Mr Maule’s girl-friend. ‘She said that Mr Maule had ; been injecting methadone | “about a year.” He was injecting up to nine at a time. A young man who lived at Monmouth Street with Mr Maule said in a statement that Mr Maule was a heavy drinker, who, he learnt from general conversation, used heavy drugs such as opium, morphine, and heroin. The youth said that once, ‘when he told Mr Maule it , was dangerous to mix alcohol land drugs, Mr Maule replied: “What does it matter if I die, anyway?” Detective Shalfoon said the) ; police were satisfied that the drug that led to Mr Maule’s) death was self administered.) and that there were no sus-j picious circumstances. 1