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CARLOS Rodríguez, co-ordinator of the emergency ward at Can Misses hospital in Ibiza, voiced strong criticism of the “permissiveness” of the local authorities over the sale of drugs at local clubs. Irish tourist Finnbar Meter Kelly died on Monday, allegedly of intoxication caused by the consumption of GHB (liquid ecstacy) and Rodríguez expressed his indignation at the reaction of the authorities, who announced additional surveillance at the clubs. It was a question of too little, too late, because, he said, this is a daily problem which Ibiza has been suffering for the past ten years, in which time the authorities have done nothing to take steps to put an end to something which has caused several deaths in recent summers, and “generates an enormous workload for the health services.” He called on the authorities to do more to stop the consumption of drugs such as ecstacy, cocaine and heroin which, he claimed, were easily obtained in Ibizan clubs. He added that Kelly had been in a coma when he arrived at hospital and was put in the intensive care unit immediately. He added that the symptoms of intoxicatin of the seven people admitted on the same day indicated that they had consumed adulterated GHB, although he said he had not examined them personally. They were kept under observation and discharged when they recovered from the symptoms.
ABSTENTION
Bartomeu Jaume, the Balearic co-ordinator of the drug dependency services, recommended total abstention from drugs to avoid tragedies such as the death of the Irish tourist in Ibiza. He said that the health ministry's policy was based on “zero tolerance” for drug consumption, and advised young people to stay away from any kind of drugs, not only those which could be adulterated. However, he said that the government had not organised a campaign aimed specifically at foreign tourists. He rejected the idea that it was commonly perceived that drugs were easily obtainable in Ibiza and claimed that the image of the Balearics projected abroad was one of “tranquility.”