the results are in on Exit death

[BRIAN1500]

Ecstasy overdose killed N.J. student

Wednesday, December 12, 2001

By ASHANTI M. ALVAREZ and TARA KANE

Staff Writers

An Ecstasy overdose led to the death of a Pequannock High School senior who was found unconscious at a Manhattan nightclub in August, New York City's medical examiner said Tuesday.

Michael Del Giudice, 18, died of "acute intoxication from methylenedioxy-methylamphetamine," or MDMA, the drug commonly known as Ecstasy.

Ecstasy is commonly used in nightclubs and rave parties by people of all ages, but its use among young people has increased sharply in the past couple of years.

On the night of Aug. 17, Del Giudice went to Exit nightclub on West 56th Street with several friends from New Jersey. His friends went home after they lost track of him in the cavernous club, which has a capacity of about 5,000.

Early the next morning, security guards at the club said they saw Del Giudice shaking nervously and wearing only one shoe. A security guard said Del Giudice was walking strangely and collapsed as they attempted to question him.

He was taken to St. Clare's Hospital and Health Center, where he was pronounced dead.

At the time, Pequannock police said they would prosecute anyone in the community found to have provided Del Giudice with the drugs. But Tuesday, Pequannock Police Chief William Montano said his department determined that Del Giudice left Pequannock in a sober state.

"We're fairly confident that the drugs he did ingest he did procure in New York City," Montano said.

In addition to playing football his freshman year, Del Giudice was a member of the high school choir. Students interviewed Tuesday said he was a popular pupil known by most of the other students.

Although Del Giudice had been known to hang out with athletes, a group of girls said that Ecstasy isn't exclusive to any clique in their school. Rather, they said, it is used by a variety of students.

"They don't do it around here, they do it at clubs in New York City," said one student.

The desirable side-effects of Ecstasy -- exuberance, openness, empathy, and warm, fuzzy feelings -- keep the drug in demand.

But taking Ecstasy causes dehydration, which, coupled with intense body heat from dancing in a packed environment and a lack of water, can easily lead to sickness and, in rare cases, death.

New York's medical examiner, however, determined that Del Giudice died from an Ecstasy overdose. The office would not specify how much of the drug was found in his system.

Dorothy Del Giudice, Michael's mother, said Tuesday she was not aware of the autopsy results.

A spokeswoman for the National Institutes of Health said there is no specific amount of the drug that will cause an overdose. Rather, a person's body weight and age are factors, as well as simultaneous use of other drugs, including alcohol.

According to the national Drug Abuse Warning Network, emergency room visits attributable to club drugs such as Ecstasy, ketamine, and GHB are relatively rare when compared with cocaine and heroin.

Between 1994 and 1998, the network recorded 2,601 deaths associated with methamphetamine, compared with 46 associated with ketamine and 27 associated with Ecstasy. Methamphetamine abuse is an acute problem in Western and Midwest states.

But in the metropolitan area, Ecstasy is a favorite among young people who frequent large, trendy nightclubs.

The high-powered sound systems that pump techno and hard house music, sometimes into the afternoon hours of the next day, attract people who want to dance non-stop and use the drug as a means of having fun and staying awake at the same time.

Exit has grown in popularity as New York City's largest nightclub.

With the demise of other large clubs, most notably The Tunnel and Limelight, Exit's crowds have swelled in recent months. On Friday nights, when the minimum age is 18, there are two lines that extend down West 56th Street packed with teenagers and young adults dressed to the nines.

On Tuesday, one Pequannock student said he doubted the autopsy results would make teenagers in town think twice about taking Ecstasy.

"People who take Ecstasy know what they're getting into," he said. "This isn't going to change how they think or what they do."

[Codica3]

UGH... :mad:

[echostar]

[doubtness]

So here's the trivia question:

Do we blame the club for it or the stupidity act of one's actions?

[t0nythelover]

so someone has a drug overdose, happens all the time. consider the number of people 5000 a night times how many nights a year. its statistically bound to happen. if u use x you know ur taking a risk. ive tripped so hard that ive stopped breathing before but i knew what i was getting into. the way i see it the closer you come to death the more you enjoy life, but thats just the way i see it.

[maximman]

UrGH~? MDMA overdose? i've never heard that one before... usually it's from overheating or lack of water or something... but MDMA OVERDOSE?

[crashedfx]

Originally posted by maximman

UrGH~? MDMA overdose? i've never heard that one before... usually it's from overheating or lack of water or something... but MDMA OVERDOSE?

I never heard or read of such a thing as MDMA overdose,

all so called OD's happen most likely from dehydration. If you ask me whos fault it is, i would have to say that unfortunately that persons'. Every website that has some info on clubdrugs mentions in "E" section that water is very necessary and must not be forgotten while dancing nite out at the club. I feel deeply sorry that this happened, but it did, let it be example for rest of people who hasnt done E, but want to, to be much more careful with what they doing.

[Codica3]

Originally posted by doubtness

So here's the trivia question:

Do we blame the club for it or the stupidity act of one's actions?

No, I don't think so. People do what they want, it's sad that shit like this happens, but everyone should know when they're fucking around with drugs that they can be fucking around with their lives.. this shit just could have easily happened anywhere let alone a club.. ugh :mad:

[tunnelbandit]

Originally posted by t0nythelover

. ive tripped so hard that ive stopped breathing before B]

Are you saying that you died because you were tripping so hard:confused:

[t0nythelover]

i didnt die i just stopped breathing for like half a minute till my friend smacked me. ne way that fool should of had some water

[doubtness]

Originally posted by codica3

No, I don't think so. People do what they want, it's sad that shit like this happens, but everyone should know when they're fucking around with drugs that they can be fucking around with their lives.. this shit just could have easily happened anywhere let alone a club.. ugh :mad:

But the point is that, he died in a Club. It's like saying i was in a ride @ Great Adventure, and i fell out of my seat, because the safety belt wasn't secure enuff, and GA would get charged for that. That's why Twilo and the Tunnel got shut down, partially because of drugs and people OD'ing.

[johnnyblackroc]

Originally posted by doubtness

But the point is that, he died in a Club.

Oh that's bullshit....1) first prove he bought the drugs in the club 2) prove the owners/promoters/managers knew they were selling

3) prove they knew he was on X when they let him enter.....All or atleast 1 is allegedly true but.......If none of the three can be proved, it's like charging the local A & P because you walked into their store, on heroin, and died in the corner of aisle 6 buying eggs!!!!!!