cannabisnews.com: Southlake Teen's Death Blamed on Painkillers! 





Southlake Teen's Death Blamed on Painkillers! 
Posted by FoM on February 04, 1999 at 06:06:23 PT
Prescription drugs do kill but Cannabis never has!
SOUTHLAKE A Southlake teen-ager who had a history of heroin use died last month from an overdose of painkillers, according to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office. 
Steven Leath, 19, was found unconscious at his home Jan. 11 and was pronounced dead a few minutes later at Baylor Medical Center at Grapevine, authorities said.Leath died from acute propoxyphene intoxication, according to the final toxicology report released yesterday by the medical examiner's office. Propoxyphene is a generic name for a prescription drug used to treat pain.Investigators learned through interviews with Leath's relatives that he had previously used heroin, said Robert Finn, a spokesman for the Southlake Department of Public Safety. Leath's relatives could not be reached to comment yesterday.No heroin was found in Leath's system after his death, and there were no signs of new needle marks, Finn said."We're continuing to investigate the case to determine if it was an accidental overdose or intentional," Finn said.Leath went out with friends Jan. 10 and returned home about 10 that night, family members said. His grandmother heard him snoring about 2 a.m. Jan. 11, but he was not breathing when she checked on him several hours later, authorities said.A forensics expert in Fort Worth said that drug addicts have been known to inject propoxyphene."It's a controlled substance, but it is a painkiller," said Max Courtney, lab director of Forensic Consultant Services.Last year, about 120 tablets of the drug were seized by authorities in Tarrant County and were taken to Forensic Consultant Services for testing, Courtney said."We just don't see that much in a year," he said. 
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