Doctors have warned of a dangerous batch of drugs believed to be ice. Source: Supplied
SEVERAL ice users are battling for life in Victorian hospitals, and police and doctors fear others may fall victim to a batch of the drug believed to have been cut with weed killer.
The Alfred hospital has confirmed it has three patients aged 21 to 26 in critical condition linked with the batch of ice.
Another is in Monash Medical Centre’s intensive care unit, and another was treated in Gippsland Base Hospital intensive care unit before recovering.
All the patients have suffered extreme breathing difficulty.
Doctors fear that some may have irreversible lung damage from smoking the potentially lethal batch of ice.
It’s understood the batch contains Paraquat, a weed killer that can cause serious lung damage and death.
GP clinics across Gippsland and paramedics have been warned to be vigilant for young people presenting with flu-like respiratory symptoms that can quickly escalate.
One source said patients’ lungs were in danger of hardening.
Victoria Police confirmed that officers from the clandestine laboratory squad were investigating. Police and health authorities are examining potential links between the victims, such as where they had bought their drugs, in the hope of preventing others becoming critically ill.
The alarm was raised after two 21-year-old men presented to Bairnsdale Regional Hospital early last week with similar respiratory symptoms, and confirmed they had used illicit drugs only when their conditions deteriorated.
A spate of other young people in the region with lesser symptoms are also suspected to have used the same drug, prompting Bairnsdale doctors to notify authorities.
Bairnsdale Regional Health Service chief Therese Tierney pleaded with people to keep away from dangerous drugs.
“We had a number present with a range of symptoms and very serious health impacts,” she said.
There are no reports that the bad batch of ice has affected any ice users outside of Victoria at this stage.
Originally published as Weed killer in ‘dodgy batch’ of ice