News Service from House Harris

Vic: GBH drug drama prompts death concerns

MELBOURNE, Dec 22 AAP - Authorities say it is only a matter of time before someone dies from taking dangerous party drugs or mixing them with alcohol or other concoctions.

More than 30 ravers were taken ill, some seriously, after taking the drug gamma-hydroxybutyrate - GBH, also known as Fantasy - at a dance party at Festival Hall in West Melbourne on Saturday night.

Paramedics believe a bad batch of GBH caused ravers to suffer fits and breathing problems, resulting in at least 25 people being hospitalised.

Damon Brogan, executive officer of drug information and education group Vivaids, said GBH use had appeared to be declining in recent years before Saturday night's incident.

"Ambulance statistics had been improving, meaning there were fewer and fewer attendances at GBH-related incidents," Mr Brogan told AAP.

"This was a strange and unexpected event for what was a fairly small crowd.

"GBH is a tricky substance. It's an odourless liquid and how much you can take depends on your body mass.

"If you start mixing it with alcohol, then it becomes a whole lot more dangerous.

"Either someone got the batch dosage wrong, or it is the case that those affected had mixed it with alcohol."

The West Melbourne incident is likely to spark renewed debate about legal pill-testing at events - a move that governments vehemently oppose for fear of being seen to condone illegal drug-taking.

Sam Biondo, of the Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association (VAADA), said it would be "an heroic and courageous move" for state governments to allow partygoers to have their pills officially tested for their safety at venues such as Festival Hall.

"Given that people will continue to use it and given the continued black market, if you want to look at harm minimisation then we need to look at the mechanisms involved to prevent deaths and injuries occurring," Mr Biondo said.

"Of course, it is politically unpalatable for governments to make that decision. But as unpalatable as it is, maybe there needs to be some consideration of pill-testing so people know what they are taking."

The last GBH death in Melbourne occurred in July 2005 when 21-year-old nurse Belinda Davey died in a drug dealer's car outside a nightclub.

Mr Brogan said Ms Davey died because people were too scared to call for an ambulance, ultimately because of fears of police involvement.

"If people are too scared to call an ambulance, then someone will die," he warned.

"If people see their friends in trouble then they need to get help and should not worry about the police because ... if someone dies, it's then they should be worrying about the police."

Spokespeople for the Royal Melbourne Hospital, which treated 13 of the stricken ravers, and The Alfred hospital said all patients had been discharged.