THE tragic death of a Co Wicklow girl led to an inquest jury yesterday calling on a coroner to warn of the hazards of dispensing the drug methadone, especially to youngsters.
Ms Amanda Scanlon (17), of Kilbride Grove, Bray, Co Wicklow, swallowed an estimated 120 mg of the drug on October 17th last and died following respiratory depression the following day in St Colmcille's Hospital, Loughlinstown.
Yesterday, her boyfriend, Mr Patrick Hanlon (23), told the Dublin County Coroner's Court that Ms Scanlon received 300 mg of physeptone for him and called to his family home at Oldcourt Avenue, Bray.
At 12.30 a.m. they both left and went to a flat at Prince of Wales Terrace in the town.
On the way there they had an argument and she drank some of the physeptone before throwing it away. He picked up the bottle and put it in his pocket. In the flat they fell asleep on the couch and at about 1 p.m. he awoke on October 18th. Ms Scanlon seemed unconscious beside him.
He got his uncle to telephone for an ambulance and she was later pronounced dead in the hospital.
Dr Bartley Sheehan, Dublin County Coroner, said the medical evidence showed that the girl died from respiratory depression due to methadone usage. She had naively taken a drink or a few mouthfuls from the bottle containing the drug.
Returning a verdict of death by misadventure, the seven member jury told the coroner that the inherent danger of dispensing methadone to young people should now be questioned.
The coroner said he would bring the jury's views to the Department of Health and to other relevant authorities.
Dr Sheehan said society should look beyond the use of methadone which was "dangerous and a stopgap arrangement".