10 Raver Deaths in 5 Years: Ecstasy Often Blamed

Let's consider what we actually know about each of these cases, shall we?

In order as posted:

10 - Hit by a truck after drinking alcohol all day.  Who exactly is blaming this on MDMA? You?

9 - Um, hello?  You mention the MDMA in her postmortem toxicology report, but NOT the METH AND GHB??  Seriously? You JUST WROTE a whole article about her, for christ's sake.

8 - While someone was arrested on suspicion of selling Matthew Allen "pure ecstasy", there is absolutely nothing in the Dallas Observer or any other reporting as to the coroner's report aside from one cryptic reference to the autopsy having revealed that he died of a "drug overdose".  With no further specifics. Kinda weird.  I can find absolutely NOTHING on the disposition of charges against the supposed supplier, "Skyler Brandt".  Sounds like a job for a real reporter to get to the bottom of this. 

Oh, and from the comments section at http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2011/10/dpd_arrest_19-year-old_girl_bl.php "mediawhore: get your facts straight... I was there that night, no one left in an ambulance... that kid left with his friend and died almost 2 hours later... There was a hour and a half window of time that passed before  he made it to the hospital which is 5 min away... The kid is known as 6 Shot at the club because he takes 6 of everything... Next time you want to tell a story get your facts straight..."

Other comments from people who claim to have been at the club with him insist that he took many other substances aside from one E tab.

7 - Again, can find zero followup to initial reportage of death due to drug overdose.  Kinda curious, don'tcha think?  If I were a reporter, I'd smell a great story here.  Your own story of Jun. 20 2011 is the only reference I could find on the web of anyone directly reporting contact with the Dallas Medical Examiner's office regarding the fatality.  Where's your followup on the ACTUAL cause of death as reported in the ME's report?  Because without that kind of diligence, all your big ravey scare stories are pretty much just that. (And frankly, I AGREE with you about the EDM massives being a terrible idea for all kinds of reasons.)

And amidst a bunch of lazy "od'd on ecstasy" capsule stories, the following from http://www.dallasnews.com/news/community-news/dallas/headlines/20110619-drug-overdose-suspected-in-death -at-fair-park-rave.ece

"Authorities found eight to 10 black pills in the pocket of Andrew Graf of Argyle thought to be a brand of fat-burning diet pill. A 19-year-old man who died after attending a weekend rave at Fair Park is suspected of overdosing on drugs, according to a Dallas police report. Paramedics were called to the Electric Daisy Carnival about 8 p.m. on a report that Andrew Graf of Argyle was overdosing. Graf arrived at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas about 8:30 p.m., with CPR in progress, the report said. He was pronounced dead at 8:51 p.m. Authorities found eight to 10 black pills in Graf’s pocket thought to be a brand of fat-burning diet pill.

The report notes that Graf was “transported from a large rave party in Fair Park. Baylor ER did not know how many pills [Graf] had consumed are (sic) what caused his death at this time.”

The Dallas County Medical Examiner has not ruled on the cause of death pending toxicology tests, which typically take several weeks."

By the way, it was 103 degrees in Dallas that day, and apparently water supplies were not readily available.

Does this really sound like his death was an "apparent ecstasy overdose" as you write?

6 - Hit by semi truck after becoming uncontrollably aggressive.  (Ecstasy?  Really?) Initial police report calls it a "drug induced suicide".  AGAIN, ZERO reportage available via net search for results of any toxicology or autopsy report.  For sonmeone researching a string of "Ecstasy-related" deaths, this is starting to look less and less like an oversight.  WHERE is the actual evidence of overdose, let alone overdose traceable to MDMA?

(Continued)

5 - Again, zero results for any reportage online regarding results of ME's report, despite initial your sister-reporter Freedman's report that "Doctors said his death was the result of a drug overdose."  Isn't that more than a little odd?

4 - WHOA !!   FINALLY !!  An actual toxicology report.  I guess it's a little easier to follow up when the ME's office is only a stone's throw away?  So let's see... what did they have to say? 

"Sasha Rodriguez died of "complications of ischemic encephalopathy due to methylenedioxymethamphetamine intoxication," a coroner's official told the Weekly. Her death was ultimately ruled an accident."

Ok... I have no clue what "ischemic encephalopathy" is, but this is the first time I've EVER heard ANYTHING of the sort cited as a cause of death resulting from MDMA ingestion.  Once again, this could use a bit of objective illumination from someone versed on the subject.  But instead we get THIS??: 

"According to research, ecstasy can cause "brain death" by ultimately depriving brain cells of needed oxygen -- a phenomenon that appeared to be the case in the teen's death."

Ok, you've either just revealed an agenda, or some seriously sloppy reporting.  Way to make 2+2=5. Either that, or you are just brain dead yourself. The abstract from that journal is from 2002, which is an ice age ago in terms of the research done over the last decade. ("MDMA makes holes in your brain", anyone?)  If you read anything other than the 4 paragraph abstract, and can verify the statement that the organ donors were confirmed as having died from MDMA-induced brain edema or liver failure, please... enlighten us.  Until then, I call (steaming pile of) bullshit.

Or just point out any other verifiable incidence of MDMA-induced death due to liver failure or brain edema, anywhere, ever.  (Dehydration does NOT count.)  I'll wait right here.  I'm patient like that.

3 - This whole story spun as an MDMA overdose has been suspect from the outset. Again, after the initial news stories, there was almost no information reported in the media regarding the toxicology report.  I personally called the San Mateo County Coroner's office some months after this incident to follow up.  While they refused to send a copy of the report, I did get the conclusion read over the phone to me.  While one news report stated that no other drugs showed up in the screening aside from MDMA, the relevant portion of the report was not quoted, while what was quoted to me from the report was inconclusive as to the specific chemical agent responsible for the man's death. PMA or other toxic byproducts of improper MDMA manufacture or intentional adulteration remains highly suspect in the rash of hospitalizations following this Skills show at the Cow Palace.  See: http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-201_162-6537331.html Interestingly, despite reported police seizures of hundreds of pills being sold at the event, the results of laboratory testing of these was never subsequently reported.  Is it just me, or does anyone else see a trend developing here? 

2 - Very likely the same culprit as #3 above (occurring from the same event) but abysmally scant reporting on this death.  If you have anything concrete beyond the initial reporting which described this as a likely overdose, I'd appreciate the links.

1 - Just... wow.  I don't even have to track down the links to see what you did there.  Let's see... the symptoms described by your anti-MDMA crusading "witness" do not correspond with those of MDMA, yet without citing any toxicology or autopsy results, you specifically mention "both" MDMA and ecstasy in the same sentence as being responsible for her death.  That's kinda sleazy.  I'm guessing that the coroner's report didn't support your theory?

0 - Summation:  Do some real reporting, or else you're just engaging in the same sloppy journalism that is killing any kind of meaningful debate, and thus responsible citizenship in this country.

If you have such and issue with how and what he reports then DONT READ it. If you can do better, start a blog and write about what you care about. There are countless reports all over the internet that likely will have the stuff you find interesting. Its sad that people keep engaging in reading stuff they have issue with. Read someone else. Simple as that.

Congratulations, Dennis, on being a complete moron. Just because no one ever let you into clubs doesn't mean you need to demonize them. Blaming someone getting hit by a car or someone falling off a balcony on the event they had attended is complete stupidity. Congratulations, you managed to pick three or four that were actually caused by ecstasy, one which you blame on ecstasy that definitely wasn't, and a few other that just say "someone took ecstasy and died later." That'd be like saying "Joe ate a sandwich and died two days later, thus the sandwich killed Joe." Brilliant logic. But congratulations, you managed to find ten people who died, only a few of which even happened at the rave, and none of which were caused by the event itself, and sensationalize that. I mean hey, more than 10 people on Earth have died in the time it took me to read your article and write this, does that mean that the sheer stupidity of your "reporting" just killed ten people? Should I write a column about that?

I think we should all learn from Charlie Sheen! He has been doing drugs harder than anyone or most of his life! How old is he and he seams like perfect health to me( besides occasional anger issues don't all humans even Priests have faults) haha he says in his famous interview about "winning" that its not a game you gotta read the Rule Book before you just start partying!  As far as druggies go most of us are paranoid and extremely responsible about what we do! which is why 10 deaths is Nothing compared to the alcohol related deaths accumulated every month in every major cities nightlife! How many lives has simple over the counter drugs taken in the last year? ALOT more than 10!  If it was legal our government could sell it in safe doses with warning labels Make a huge profit and honestly probably help our country/economy as a whole! This should of been done for Weed a LONG ass time ago! There is just this WAY over exaggerated stigmatism that goes with drugs and is way to often stereotyped to be this horrible thing that its just factually not! IF safety and responsibility was taught instead of a couple stupid horror stories I think we'd have even Less than 10 deaths! Even just 10 deaths in 5 years.. for THe Entire Country! I bet toilet paper has killed more people!  I'm not saying "Everyone take drugs like Charlie sheen" he's definitely a rare case! All I'm saying is legalization could save us so much and If taught with Responsibility, Partying should never be an issue. especially when we got SO many more problems in this country! ~PLUR 

 Cristian, it seems you have a very skewed way of viewing things. The reason why "raves/massive/events" are popular is because they provide a place where camaraderie is uniform. True raves run under the general guideline of PLUR. Peace to all, love for all, unity, and respect. Some also consider a second R in PLUR for responsibility. What is good/bad is a subjective thing. "Bathsalts" are not safe. The "Bathsalts" were created in my opinion because of the war on drugs. The "Legal" drugs were created to replace the need for the "Illegal drugs". If you think that deaths are in direct proportion with "Safety" you are absolutely wrong. Yes, it does have input on safety, but it doesn't determine safety. Bathsalts and these new line of synthetic drugs are dangerous. Chemists only make these for the intention of getting rich. If you look at the compound of some of these drugs, you can see that they try to mimic successful drugs such as cocaine and marijuana. The side-effects of these drugs are also UNKNOWN because these drugs hasn't been out for a very long time.

Dennis, I love the intentions you have writing these articles. However, you possess a very strong bias against these events and drugs in general. I suspect that the origin of your bias is because of "morals" you have created for yourself. This is the thing to understand, when you allow your emotions to be part of your "Journalism" it will cloud your judgement. These deaths were easily avoided (Unadulterated pills/ responsible usage/ responsible dosage/ ect.). As a Pharmacologist-to-be, I view all of these deaths as failure of the drug war. If MDMA were to be legal, many of the "Ecstasy" related deaths could be avoided. (The reason why I put quotes around Ecstasy is because most pills that are marketed as ecstasy contains many other harmful chemicals.) Recent studies have shown that pure MDMA use can be safe for recreational use, possibly even safer than alcohol. (Of course all of this is relative and depends on responsibility of the user) MDMA also have many potential medical benefits for certain people. BY keeping this drug illegal it creates more harm than good. As you know, when a drug is illegal it is illegal to do  any research on the drug itself. Legalizing MDMA -Unadulterated Pills for safe usage -Medical Research for diseases such as CANCER -User's access to information to avoid death -Money from tax.

LA Weekly doesn't like rave culture -- we get it. Putting a girl who is wearing more than you see at an all ages beach and calling it 'scenery' like they're some kind of hookers is also pretty biased. You obviously have an agenda -- great writing though! Creative stuff...

Did you view the toxicology reports? I'm gonna go out on a limb and say NO. See, real journalists verify every aspect of their product before putting it out there for public consumption. Most of these reported deaths were presumed to be extacy. A lot of times ODs are at the same event (even if its an annual event) because low life drug dealers pander to large crowds of idiots that put pills of unknown origin into their bodies. They sell said pills as extacy but infact its a synthetic variation, NOT MDMA. Next time how bout ya deliver more substantiated information and less fluff/sensational crap. Thanks.

Go on, pump yourself full of drugs and die you losers. 

 I call bullshit on the "pure" MDMA overdoses. Pure MDMA has been impossible to find since the 90s. There is no way these little girls had the connects to find any...

 I'm not sure about him twisting facts about her death.  People I talk to claim she was in the house area getting everyones attention by dancing all crazy and then collapsed right in front of flex the house cat.    Insomniac never wronged him but we receive the blunt of his attacks. Only the people at the top really know what's going on...  

Considering how many people use MDMA, 10 people over 5 years is nothing. Compared to the toll alcohol takes, this is nothing. But it gets people to read stories like this. And keeps people worried over it. Well done, solid reporting, pray for the children, eeek.... By the way I love the coverage in the LA Weekly each and every week of beer, wine and cocktail events. Way to help this city stay as drunk as possible!

Keep in mind that A LOT LESS people take ecsatsy and A LOT more people fly in planes and walk across the street, and drive cars, and drink beer, and do almost anything else. Also, these 10 deaths are related to raves, I'm sure you will be able to find much more that are unrelated to raves. Comparing ecstasy to walking across the street it just stupid. Maybe all that ecstasy is getting to your head huh? Why is it so hard to live life without mind altering substances? I understand in situations where people are terribly sick, but just to have fun? But then again you probably need to be on something to enjoy that shitty meaningless music. Unless you are clinically depressed, and yes depression is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain and isn't something that you just call when you get really sad when you don't have enough money to go to a rave, unless you are mentally or physically sick and have a damned good reason to take medicine and drugs, then live life free, feel the pain, take the pain, face the pain of real life. For those of you kids that don't have anything to worry about except not knowing where to get your shitty ecstasty from, life's not hard, you're just soft.

10 deaths in 5 years probably better odds than walking across the street or flying a plane. I wonder how many lives alcohol or cigarettes have claimed in the same amount of time. Legalized it and people will know what they are getting. Leave it up to the individual to decide whether MDMA is bad for them or not.

10 deaths in 5 years? Compare that to how many drunk driving and alcohol poisoning deaths (not to mention other non-fatal alcohol-induced bad decisions) there are in mainstream culture in 5 years, and you'll see that ecstasy is generally safer and much less mind-altering than alcohol. How many families has alcohol ruined vs. ecstasy? 

But no worries because with Obamacare you will not only get free glasses, but all the vaseline you will ever need!