From article,

"A post-mortem showed no signs of recent drug use.

But Geoff Roberts, deputy coroner for Cheshire, said Hadrian had died 'as a result of the direct toxic effects on the heart that the use of cannabis had'."

then at the end,

"However, he had an inflammation of the heart, which, she said, was most likely caused by `a history of using cannabis, amphetamines and cocaine.'"

So, I guess it wasnt the direct toxic effects of cannabis after all, it was the all the coke and speed. Scaremongering alert

"However, he had an inflammation of the heart, which, she said, was most likely caused by `a history of using cannabis, amphetamines and cocaine.'"

I find it highly unlikely that cannabis would contribute to his death more than amphetamines and cocaine, which are KNOWN to cause heart problems.

He just happened to have a heart attack after leaving a restaurant? Maybe he was drunk. The coroner seems to be making no mention legal substances as that would detract from the "Drugs are bad (that we don't currently tax you on)" policy.

So your claiming the first known death caused by the second most popular drug in the world, without giving any kind of evidence to why cannabis would kill a 17 year old kid, who hadn't even smoked cannabis for weeks, since there was no THC in his system and it is well known that it stays in your system for up to a month after using cannabis.

The UK media reports some really high fetched stories regarding cannabis without even attemping to back up there claims. But this one has to be up there with the most ridiculous claims without providing scientific evidence, so far!

What a joke article, my condolences to the family but i think the coke and speed would be the cause of the heart problems not weed another scare story

I am sorry but `a history of using cannabis, amphetamines and cocaine' and it is cannabis that is getting the blame for this??????

Cocaine/speed is a stimulant, so it raises the body’s temperature, makes the heart beat faster and stave off feelings of hunger.

It must have been the weed then, it couldn't possible be the coke and whizz.

At least it shows tha the person who wrote the story doesnt take or know anything about drugs,so thats a relief then.

Good solid research again I see.

what a load of tosh MEN

I feel sorry for the family

MEN - your turning into a joke

Is this the level of journalism you are now churning out???

What going on??

cannabis amphetamines and cocaine??? maybe im knit picking but why in the title does it say he was killed by cannabis if it states "My conclusion is that Hadrian died as a result of using drugs." he took all those other drugs that probably didn't do his heart any favours either so to blame 1 when they're all detrimental to health is a bit misleading. condolences to his family though

Its good to see the cannabis users out in strength.

Who can only attack MEN for reporting the news.

So I suppose you will start attacking me now...

A tragedy for his family, but misrepresenting the facts will not help them.

It is ironic that TV and newspaper journalists are attacking PressTV because it is not impartial, and The Huffington Post is criticised for publishing reports from "twitters" in Iran because they are subjective and not checked the way mainstream news reports are. Then we see our newspapers and TV news showing complete disregard for facts, by reporting opinion as truth.

Why are you picking on the MEN when it is the deputy coroner that has made the statements ?

"But Geoff Roberts, deputy coroner for Cheshire, said Hadrian had died 'as a result of the direct toxic effects on the heart that the use of cannabis had'.

He said: "People use cannabis and think that it is a harmless property. We have heard clear evidence in this case that it is not."
"


have you lot even read the story ?

A few regular cannabis users in denial no doubt.

Terrible journalism although a sad story either way.
My condolences to his family.

"Its good to see the cannabis users out in strength.

Who can only attack MEN for reporting the news.

So I suppose you will start attacking me now... "

Of course, anyone who would like some fair, impartial news on the subject of drugs MUST be a drug user.

Stay classy R.T.

Cannabis ( use long term ) can give you psychosis and potentially schizophrenia, not a heart attacks. If I was the family I would ask for a second PM, as this appears to be flawed.
Long term use of cocaine and amphet basis drugs can lead to to other illnesses, not a heart attack.
I think the lad had a heart problem as yet undiagnosed.
Shame how the reporting appears to also be flawed.

There seems to be a lot of heart specialists that have contributed to this story, it's very reassuring to people who have heart problems.

Not wishing to split hairs but the coroner said he died as a result of misuse of cannabis and the Dr that did the post mortem said his "inflamed" heart was probably due to misuse of all three. Tragic as it is for the family, the fact that so many dope heads have come on hear slating MEN for bias does lead one to the conclusion that they may all be suffering from paranoia. Guess what, that'll be the drugs!

Once again i see people denying that these drugs do any harm? its just like the smoking lot that say smoking dosnt do any harm and they know people who have been smoking all their lives and its never done them any harm.What they fail to point out is the other few million who die because of smoking? typical lot who deny everything ......

The conclusions of the coroner are an insult to common sense, to the medical profession, to the scientific community and most of all to the boy's family. This is politically-motivated junk science at its most appalling.

Cannabis is among the least toxic substances known to man and has never killed ANYONE in its 10,000 year history with the human race. Even if that were not true, there were NO DRUGS in his system. Apparently the coroner believes marijuana has the magic power to harm people who are NOT using it! It's true that harder drugs (not marijuana) can inflame the heart, but even they have to actually be present in the system to do that. It's also true that long-term use of narcotics (not marijuana) can cause cumulative heart damage. But it's impossible to believe that someone only 17 years of age could have possibly ingested enough hard drugs in his short life to cause enough cumulative damage to cause fatal myocarditis (inflammation of the heart) unless he had a very serious pre-existing heart condition.

This young man had a heart attack two years ago at just 15. He was clearly among the unfortunate few who are simply born with a defective heart.

It's obvious the coroner decided to use this tragic loss of life as an excuse to push a private political agenda. If Gardner had died while actually smoking cannabis, it would be still be ludicrous to suggest that cannabis killed him. By the coroner's logic, virtually any death can now be ruled to be the result of cannabis. Anyone who dies with cannabis NOT in their system was killed by cannabis. Wow.

The coroner's irrational bias against cannabis consumers is evident in his comment: "despite his turbulent past and cannabis use, he had got a job..."It's clear the coroner believes pot smokers are incapable of holding jobs, that they are lazy, delinquent sub-humans. Nothing could be further form the truth; cannabis smokers are normal, productive members of society. He also used the word "toxic" in reference to cannabis, which shows he's operating under the influence of serious paranoia and ignorance when it comes to this subject (cannabis is at least 8000 times less toxic than alcohol). I'm guessing it bothers the coroner when people point out that cannabis has never killed anyone, so he decided to try to change that.

Cannabis did not kill Adrian Gardner, but if it had he would be its first victim in the history of humanity. By contrast, alcohol, tobacco and prescription drugs are among society's leading causes of death. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) kills hundreds each year. Yet, somehow, cannabis is considered so dangerous that it warrants imprisoning those who use it. Cannabis prohibition is naked, revolting hypocrisy. It is a witch hunt and history will not judge it kindly.

If the coroner is seriously contending that he stumbled upon the first recorded case of cannabis poisoning in history, then this highly extraordinary claim needs to be validated by his peers. His conclusions lack even circumstantial suggestiveness, much less causal proof.

I'm shocked that MEN would convey this stupidity without taking the coroner to task. The media is supposed to be a watchdog. This is a clear case of a public official lying and abusing his position to push an ideologically-motivated agenda.

This story would have been interesting if the journalists had been less concerned with a impacting headline, and had pointed out the misleading errors of the coroner and the doctor.
Either the latter were ignorant or deliberately manipulative. And anyway both "street" cocoaine and amphetamine are of such poor quality that they should not be confused with the real thing.
This verys dad case would porobabnly never have happened if cannabis were legal because his narrative would have beenb divorced entirely from the lurid world of criminalised substances.
The drug warriors still have to explain why in the Netherlands where cannabis has been legal for over 30 years levels of its consumption amongst age-groups at risk -- approx. 16-21 -- are significantly lower than they are in Britain.
Tony Karpen

This article is an example of misreporting.Some of your corespondents have already pointed this out.
The question that drug warriors need to answer: how is it that in the Netherlands where cannabis where has been de facto legal for over 30 yerars that the rate of its consumption is significsntly lower than in England.
Tony Karpen

Wow, this coroner has just made scientific and medical history! He is a genius. When does he get his nobel prize? I only ask because so far the medical and scientific community has failed to find ONE single death directly associated with cannabis use alone. This being since records began. They are pretty sure thought that smoking tobacco is the direct cause of over a hundred thousand deaths in the UK each year. I would have thought this more likey to make the news. But it is a topsy turvey world we live in I guess.

It's great reading all the drug users comments on here.
All drugs, legal or otherwise when misused/overused have dangerous unpleasant side effects. And to all you apologists for cannabis misuse, you are displaying the typical signs of psychotic paranoia associated with this drug.