Ecstasy linked to youth's death

A 17-YEAR-OLD Dublin youth, who is believed to have, taken three ecstasy tablets in a city centre nightclub, has died in the Mater Hospital.

The youth, from Donnycarney, was rushed to hospital by ambulance after suffering a cardiac arrest, but died shortly shortly before midnight.

It is thought the youth took a number of ecstasy tablets while out with friends on Saturday knight. He attended a well-known dance nightclub in the north city centre and returned home as normal. However, later yesterday he started to complain of feeling unwell.

Gardai believe he then took an unspecified amount of valium in the belief it would help him "come down" from the effects of the ecstasy. When his condition worsened, he told his family and an ambulance was called.

A spokeswoman for the hospital said the youth died at about 11.30 p.m. His parents, who were said to be "very distraught", were present. His body was removed to the hospital mortuary, where it is expected a post mortem will be carried out today.

The case is being investigated by gardai from Mountjoy Street and Fitzgibbon Street stations, who were contacted by the hospital authorities after the youth died.

Ecstasy has been blamed for the deaths of up to 20 young people over the past three years. Doctors believe the drug, which rose to prominence with the growing popularity of the "rave" dance scene, can produce idiosyncratic reactions among some users, with serious and sometimes fatal consequences.

Last year, gardai seized about 124,000 tablets.