NEWS DESK
Cannabis warning after man’s death Stephen Taylor steve@baysidenews.com.au THE shock death of a Chelsea Heights man after smoking synthetic cannabis has prompted police to warn of potential lifethreatening reactions to the drug. Their comments also follow a raid on a Frankston tobacconist which found packages containing plant matter thought to be the drug. The man, 34, died at a Patterson Lakes house on Friday 14 November after smoking the drug with a friend. Sergeant Leo Raso, of Kingston police, said the man became severely dehydrated and began drinking large quantities of water from an outside tap. Returning inside he went into a bathroom and forced his mouth over another tap and began drinking copiously again. The force of the water swelled his face to such an extent that the tap became lodged in his throat, Sergeant Raso said. A friend tried to assist by pulling the tap off the sink and the man fell to the floor unconscious. Ambulance officers who worked on the man for an hour were unable to revive him. Detectives from the Frankston divisional response unit recently seized a quantity of what is believed to be synthetic cannabis from a Karingal Hub tobacconist. Plain clothes detectives searched the Free Choice tobacconist following a tip off and found packages containing plant matter thought to be synthetic cannabis. The
seized substance will be forensically tested to determine its chemical composition. Detective Sergeant Paul Busuttil said it was vital anyone considering using synthetic cannabinoids understood that the drugs had most likely not been through rigorous testing prior to human consumption. “They have not been produced within a regulated environment and purities and quantities will not be standardised or regulated,” he said. “People purchasing synthetic cannabinoids will have no way of accurately knowing what they are purchasing and consuming - most importantly, whether it is safe.” Dozens of people have been hospitalised after consuming products containing synthetic cannabinoids that are marketed and sold under a variety of brand names of differing chemical composition. Earlier this year, five people were admitted to intensive care units suffering symptoms including loss of consciousness, seizures, agitation, confusion and breathing difficulties after smoking a subsequently banned brand of synthetic cannabis. Ten brands of synthetic cannabis are banned for sale and consumption in Victoria, however, new versions continue to appear on the market, with suppliers altering their chemical composition to circumvent laws. Anyone with information about the sale of synthetic cannabis can call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Commemoration: Large crowds at the existing Davey St war memorial in Frankston. Picture: Gary Sissons
Memorial scaled back to go forward A PEACE of sorts has broken out among Frankston councillors previously at odds with each other over the cost of a new war memorial to be located at Beauty Park. Some councillors baulked at a $1.4 million price tag for a new memorial and found themselves under fire from some in the community over a lack of progress on the project. Cr Colin Hampton said “the project was rushed” to meet the 2015 centenary of the Anzac landings at Gallipoli and all councillors had not been “engaged” with the original costly “grand plan”.
Councillors agreed at this month’s council meeting to consider a scaled back war memorial budgeted at about $490,000. Outgoing mayor Darrel Taylor, a former Australian Army veteran, said he hoped Beauty Park would eventually become “a magnificent precinct” if an Avenue of Honour and a memorial walk is added in future. Cr Hampton agreed “as the years go by we can add on to it”. “We should be proud of...the men and women who fought and died for our country,” he said. All councillors had agreed that
the existing Davey St war memorial is no longer fit for purpose to host Anzac Day and Remembrance Day commemorations due to large crowd numbers. Council will now consult with the community over the revised design. The federal government has pledged $100,000 towards the project but there has been no state funding promise as yet. Since the new war memorial at Beauty Park will not be ready for Anzac Day next year, council will host Anzac centenary commemorations at Frankston Park. Neil Walker
ADVERTISEMENT SMALL BALLOT PAPER
Sean Armistead Liberal for Frankston
Legislative Assembly
Frankston District START HERE
and number every box to make sure your vote counts.
Number the boxes 1 to 14 as shown below
1
ARMISTEAD, Sean
Liberal
2
WALLACE, A
12
TOSCANO, J
14
SWAIN, J
4
NICHOLLS, A
8
MILLER, J
9
TOOTELL, M
10
EDBROOKE, P
7
SMITH, R
5
BREEN, J
6
MASON, P
3
SHAW, G
13
VOGT, MK
11
TREGENZA, L
Strong Economy. Helping Families. Creating Jobs. To learn more visit www.OurPlan.com.au Authorised by D. Mantach, 104 Exhibition St, Melbourne.
Frankston Times 24 November 2014
PAGE 5