Teenage mother died after taking more powerful version of ecstasy, inquest told

The warning followed an inquest into the death of a teenage mother who collapsed and died in February after swallowing three pills at a party, unaware they were the potent paramethoxyamphetamine (PMA) variety of ecstasy.

Nicole Tomlinson, 19, of Headlam Road, Darlington, and boyfriend James Heaney, who took three tablets himself, were both taken to the town’s Memorial hospital but she died.

Last night, experts warned that young people are putting their lives at risk by taking PMA, which can have extreme effects on certain people.

The inquest heard how Mr Heaney told police officers that Miss Tomlinson had had a “bad trip” and was running, red faced, sweating and lying on her back, moving her legs in a cycling motion.

Detective Sergeant Jim Cunningham, of Darlington CID, said Mr Heaney was feared to be at risk of the same adverse reaction and was kept in hospital for 24 hours.

He said when he spoke to Mr Heaney he was agitated, red faced, sweating profusely and his lower jaw was juddering.

Mr Heaney was later arrested on suspicion of supplying controlled drugs and bailed.

The Crown Prosecution Service is considering what action to take.

Toxicology tests revealed Miss Tomlinson, who has a young son, had taken PMA – which has been linked with up to 100 deaths in the UK.

Det Sgt Cunningham said that users would not be aware which type of the drug they had bought and could take a fatal dose.

Histo-pathologiost Dr Stephen Beck told Durham Deputy Coroner Crispin Oliver that PMA was more potent and more dangerous than the more popular MDMA.

The drug is renowned for the speed with which it increased heart rate and body temperature and Dr Beck said that Miss Tomlinson died of PMA toxicity.

Mr Oliver recorded a verdict of death by misadventure and said it was a “lethal gamble”.

He told the Chester-le-Street inquest: “She was taking a variety of ecstasy, PMA, which is inherently more dangerous than the usual form of ecstasy, MDMA.

“She would have no way of knowing the difference between the two.

“It serves as a terrible warning against the use of these kinds of substances.”

After the inquest, Det Sgt Cunningham said Miss Tomlinson’s family, who were not present, were still coming to terms with her death.

“It’s such a tragic waste of a young life,” he said.

Cyndi Hughes, Darlington Borough Council’s cabinet member for children and young people, said: “This is a tragedy and it should act as a wake-up call to young people who are experimenting with drugs across the North-East because so often they do not know what they are taking.

“Something they think might give them some entertainment can take their life.

“It is a small proportion of young people who are taking drugs and, at the end of the day, it is about choice.

“Young people think that they are invincible, but I would like to think that something like this would make them reconsider.”

National warnings issued

PMA, whose full name is paramethoxymethyamphetamine, has been supplied in drugs circles for about two years.

It has now grown in popularity to such an extent that warnings have been sent out about it to substance misuse groups nationwide.

Also known as chicken fever, chicken yellow, double stacked, killer, mitsubishi turbo, PMMA and red mitsubishi, it has stronger effects than ecstasy. It can make users feel alert and full of energy, much like the more popular MDMA.

Its similarity means that PMA is sometimes sold as ecstasy.

Michael Linnell, from Lifeline, which runs drugs and alcohol services across the North-East, said: “PMA is the cause of some concern and it has been responsible for a series of deaths across the country.

“It is particularly dangerous because people are affected more than others.

“It seems like a very weak ecstasy to users and also takes a long time to come on.

“This basically means that people take more to have an effect, and it can lead to an extreme rise in body temperature.

“People are often buying it thinking it is ecstasy when it is is not.”