CORONER'S WARNING: DON'T DABBLE IN DRUGS

Autopsy results point to cocaine as cause in seven deaths

Coroner Liana Wright doesn't want you as a statistic in her log of
deaths by cocaine.

And she says dealing with seven stunned families over the weekend,
most of whom didn't even know their loved ones dabbled with the deadly
drug, was enough.

``It is really devastating for the families. I've been dealing with
the families Friday, Saturday and (yesterday), and they are just
normal folks and for the most part they didn't even realize their
brother, sons, whatever were using cocaine.''

She has a dire message: ``You know if you don't want to become a
statistic, don't dabble in illicit drugs. Any amount can be lethal,
and you have no idea what you are getting.''

Wright says autopsies conducted over the weekend show seven drug
users, who died over a threeday period in Vancouver, suffered cardiac
arrest.

And recreational users are more prone to dying from the drug because
their tolerance level may be limited.

Wright says cocaine induces high blood pressure and causes the heart
to race to a point where it begins beating chaotically and ultimately
stops pumping blood.

The seven deaths were in addition to one in New Westminster on Friday.

Authorities had at first believed cocaine mixed with heroin was
responsible. But Wright says the deaths are more consistent with
cocaine rather than heroin.

``From the preliminary autopsy results, they appear to be cardiac
deaths that would be secondary to cocaine.''

In heroin overdoses, autopsies generally show a larger degree of lung
congestion, she said. Those signs were mostly absent in the seven
deaths analysed.

Wright says chronic cocaine users have no idea how the drug
fundamentally alters their vascular systems. ``For example, their
hearts become enlarged because of high blood pressure.

``We see people who are in their 20s or 30s who have coronary arteries
that we would expect to find in 50 or 60yearolds.''

Vancouver police reported no further incidents yesterday.

They believe highly pure cocaine sold on the drug market likely caused
the overdose deaths.