Man died after taking head shop drug

A MAN died after consuming the head shop drug MDPV, which has a similar effect to cocaine, but is 20 to 30 times more potent.

John Edwards, 40, of Shanganagh Cliffs, Shankill, Co Dublin, was found dead in his bedroom by his father Sean Edwards, on the afternoon of March 29, 2010.

A postmortem toxicology screening found 0.13 micrograms per ml of MDPV in Mr Edwards’s blood, which caused his death.

Methylenedioxypyrovalarone (MDPV) is a “designer drug” which is often used as an ingredient in ‘party pills’.

It has the same effects as cocaine, but is 20 to 30 times more potent than cocaine, coroner Dr Kieran Geraghty told an inquest into Mr Edward’s death yesterday.

Sean Edwards told the inquest his son, who was a single man, was buying drugs in a head shop.

Dublin County Coroner’s Court heard there was a “drastic increase in cases” where individuals using head shop drugs were admitted to St Columcille’s Hospital, Loughlinstown, with very serious reactions.

“I believe there were many other cases of people buying drugs in head shops and some were seriously ill,” coroner Dr Geraghty asked Garda Neill Doyle of Shankill Garda Station.

Garda Doyle said there was “a drastic increase in cases where individuals were using these drugs and were admitted to Loughlinstown Hospital”.

“These drugs appeared quite potent... nothing we had ever seen before,” he said.

A postmortem found evidence of aspiration into Mr Edwards’s airways, acute bronchitis and pneumonia, as well as fluid in his lungs.

MDPV was detected in Mr Edwards’s blood and heroin was also present.

Coroner Dr Kieran Geraghty recorded a cause of death as the toxic effects of MDPV, “a designer drug presumably purchased in a head shop”.

Pneumonia was a contributory cause.

“This is another very tragic case,” said the coroner.

“MDPV is a highly potent stimulant in the same way as cocaine is. It can affect the heart. Deaths from the drug are not dose-related. There have been warnings issued about the dangers of using it as a replacement for cocaine as the quantity (of MDPV) required to get the same effect (as cocaine) is 20 to 30 times less. It is very potent,” the coroner warned.

He recorded a verdict of death by misadventure.

Giving evidence at the inquest Sean Edwards said he called to his son’s home at 12.30pm on March 29 as he had not seen him over the weekend and he was “worried for his safety”.

He had come into some money and had spent it in two months, the inquest heard.

Speaking after the inquest Mr Edwards said his son purchased the drugs from a head shop which is still in business.