(Trinidad Express) With the Carnival season already in gear and the decriminalization of 30 grammes and less of marijuana, the TT Police Service (TTPS) is asking members of the police to be mindful of the drinks and substances they may consume.
This was the warning given by Inspector Wayne Stanley of the TTPS’ Special Investigations Unit yesterday during the weekly press briefing at the police administration building in Port of Spain.
Stanley noted that the misuse of drugs and alcohol, especially when mixed, could lead to an impairment of judgement, and puts users at great risk of sexual assault, robberies, kidnapping, and road fatalities.
“That unique combination of feeling a little too drunk and a little too high can be overwhelming for some. Feeling ‘crossfaded’ is a combination of the effects of alcohol and how the body absorbs cannabis. Persons smoking marijuana and consuming marijuana edibles after drinking alcohol have been found to exhibit nausea and vomiting, which is the body’s number one defence mechanism against alcohol poisoning.
“In some cases, the user finds it difficult to concentrate and remember things, while in extreme cases, the user is at risk of ‘greening out’, which involves panicking, vomiting and experiencing heightened performance impairments. Even though getting crossfaded is not life-threatening, please know your limits,” Stanley advised.
He added that if persons felt high, they should find someone they trusted to got to a safe place and re-hydrate with water.
He also reiterated that persons in carnival events ought not to share drinks or take drinks from strangers.
This was especially with the use of ‘date-rape’ drugs such as Rohypnol on the market.
Rohypnol, which has medical use as a depressant to treat anxiety and sleep disorders, has also been known to be used as sedatives to unsuspecting victims before they are assaulted.
“As a preventative measure individuals can purchase ‘test my drink strips’ online. These test strips can be used to determine if your drink has been drugged. These test strips are designed to detect the possible presence of the illicit date rape drugs which are slipped into an unsuspecting victim’s drink,” Stanley explained.
Zesser pills, he added, had a somehwat similar effect, especially when mixed with alcohol.
