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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Call for swift 'party drug' ban | Call for swift 'party drug' ban |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| The mother of a student who died after taking the so-called "party drug" GBL is meeting the home secretary in a bid to get the government to ban it. | |
| Maryon Stewart, of Sussex, wants it classified as a Class C drug. | |
| Police are investigating whether her daughter Hester, a 21-year-old medical student, unknowingly took the substance while out with friends in April. | Police are investigating whether her daughter Hester, a 21-year-old medical student, unknowingly took the substance while out with friends in April. |
| The government said it was consulting on controlling a range of substances, including GBL, which could harm health. | The government said it was consulting on controlling a range of substances, including GBL, which could harm health. |
| Sussex Police said toxicology tests showed the student's death was due to GBL in conjunction with alcohol. | |
| An inquest on Miss Stewart, a former pupil at Brighton College who went on to study molecular medicine at the University of Sussex, is due to take place next month. | |
| I hope banning GBL for personal use will be a swift process Maryon Stewart | I hope banning GBL for personal use will be a swift process Maryon Stewart |
| Mrs Stewart, a nutritionist from Brighton, was due to meet Home Secretary Alan Johnson on Wednesday. | Mrs Stewart, a nutritionist from Brighton, was due to meet Home Secretary Alan Johnson on Wednesday. |
| She said: "We called for this meeting because we want to know why GBL isn't classified as a drug at the moment. | She said: "We called for this meeting because we want to know why GBL isn't classified as a drug at the moment. |
| "My daughter died as a result of consuming it combined with alcohol. | "My daughter died as a result of consuming it combined with alcohol. |
| "It is a colourless liquid which turns into GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyric acid) in the stomach. A small amount of GBL mixed with alcohol can be lethal. | "It is a colourless liquid which turns into GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyric acid) in the stomach. A small amount of GBL mixed with alcohol can be lethal. |
| "GBL could be classified within 90 minutes by the Statutory Instruments Committee. I hope banning GBL for personal use will be a swift process." | "GBL could be classified within 90 minutes by the Statutory Instruments Committee. I hope banning GBL for personal use will be a swift process." |
| 'Emerging threats' | 'Emerging threats' |
| GBL is already banned for personal use in several countries, including the US and Sweden, but is available at some health food shops in the UK and can also be purchased over the internet. | GBL is already banned for personal use in several countries, including the US and Sweden, but is available at some health food shops in the UK and can also be purchased over the internet. |
| A spokesman for the Home Office said: "The government is committed to cracking down on legal highs in response to emerging threats to public health. | A spokesman for the Home Office said: "The government is committed to cracking down on legal highs in response to emerging threats to public health. |
| "We are currently consulting on controlling a range of substances, including GBL and BZP, which can harm health. | "We are currently consulting on controlling a range of substances, including GBL and BZP, which can harm health. |
| "We are determined to tackle drug use in all its forms through tough enforcement, education and, where required, treatment; it is absolutely right that we continue to adapt our drug policy to the changing environment of substance misuse. | "We are determined to tackle drug use in all its forms through tough enforcement, education and, where required, treatment; it is absolutely right that we continue to adapt our drug policy to the changing environment of substance misuse. |
| "Earlier this year we asked the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs to look into harms caused by legal highs. Their advice will be very useful in informing future government policy on controlling these substances." | "Earlier this year we asked the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs to look into harms caused by legal highs. Their advice will be very useful in informing future government policy on controlling these substances." |