Alpha Phi dies of alcohol poisioning at SDSU

[Kevin]

If someone's showing up to events already wasted, and indeed goes on to die from the intoxicated condition which existed during the time she was at the event, it should be fair to say that the chapter was on notice that she was using.

I find it difficult to believe that someone could be using both cocaine and alcohol at the same time and show no signs of intoxication. Yes, chapters need to be careful because things like this can be financially ruinous as well as causing HQs to revoke charters.

As for rumors, please show me where they are. This thread has been heavily edited and deleted in to avoid that sort of thing.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by Kevin

If someone's showing up to events already wasted, and indeed goes on to die from the intoxicated condition which existed during the time she was at the event, it should be fair to say that the chapter was on notice that she was using.

I find it difficult to believe that someone could be using both cocaine and alcohol at the same time and show no signs of intoxication. Yes, chapters need to be careful because things like this can be financially ruinous as well as causing HQs to revoke charters.

As for rumors, please show me where they are. This thread has been heavily edited and deleted in to avoid that sort of thing.

As someone else said, there's NO evidence that she was a regular alcohol or cocaine user. What were they supposed to do, hold a termination hearing in the middle of the formal?

For that matter, it said she was at several events - for all we know, she could have had NOTHING at the formal and started pounding/snorting the moment she left. That's not the sorority's responsibility to police her 24/7.

Rumors? YOU are the one painting this woman as a regular "user" when no evidence of that sort exists.

[sdsuchelle]

Unfortunately getting trashed/high on whatever drug is available is really commonplace at SDSU, even in GLO's. I am willing to guess that she was not the only one of her friends that was high that night. Cocaine isn't usually something you do by yourself.

I really hope that something is done about this... SDSU greeks get education on binge drinking but not enough, and NO seminars on drug use.

[OtterXO]

Originally Posted by sdsuchelle

Unfortunately getting trashed/high on whatever drug is available is really commonplace at SDSU, even in GLO's. I am willing to guess that she was not the only one of her friends that was high that night. Cocaine isn't usually something you do by yourself.

I almost wrote something regarding this but didn't post it. I went to school in San Diego and lived there until about a year ago. Cocaine use is extremely common in the college party scene and the bar scene in SD.

That being said, I think it's really disrespectful to be assuming things about the deceased and/or her chapter. I don't think that making accusations about the chapter's knowledge or her presumed habit of drug use is appropriate in ANY forum on GC, even Risk Management.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by Kevin

If someone's showing up to events already wasted, and indeed goes on to die from the intoxicated condition which existed during the time she was at the event, it should be fair to say that the chapter was on notice that she was using.

Kevin, I agree, but the operative word is if. If there's something in this thread that shows that this was in fact the case in this thread (other than queenofpink's hearsay), I have missed it.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Kevin, I agree, but the operative word is if. If there's something in this thread that shows that this was in fact the case in this thread (other than queenofpink's hearsay), I have missed it.

I don't mean to be thick, but isn't her dying of a combination of cocaine and alcohol proof that she used them. (ETA: I realize that the "if" was connected to attendance and use at a GLO event, rather than the use itself, now.)

I understand that it doesn't establish she was the kind of regular user that could have been addressed with intervention from the chapter.

But there's something to be learned that might help our groups if our members understand the very serious risks of using, even one time use.

I doubt most people would risk being dorky enough to try to prevent a friend from using in the moment or to to make sure they were alright if it appeared that they were under the influence (especially because a lot of us take being under the influence for granted for college kids on a weekend or at a party). However, this case is another example of how one friend, any friend, it's not restricted to GLO sisters, could have maybe saved this woman's life if they had realized her level of intoxication and impairment.

[SWTXBelle]

AND . . . it is possible her sisters/friends/people she was around only saw that Jenny was perhaps drunk - they may very well had had no idea that she was in danger of DYING from alcohol poisoning along with the coke.
At this point, it is a tragedy, and the important thing is to get the word about drinking too much, the dangers of coke, and mixing the two. I would hope the Greek and college community would take this opportunity to schedule programming to do all they can to educate students to prevent it from happening again. If there is a signficant drug culture on the campus, this can be a wake-up call.
I am so sorry for the loss of a sister, and for the grief her parents friends and family must feel. It's just terrible, and I hope that something good can come of this terrible event.

[macallan25]

Originally Posted by Kevin

If someone's showing up to events already wasted, and indeed goes on to die from the intoxicated condition which existed during the time she was at the event, it should be fair to say that the chapter was on notice that she was using.

I find it difficult to believe that someone could be using both cocaine and alcohol at the same time and show no signs of intoxication. Yes, chapters need to be careful because things like this can be financially ruinous as well as causing HQs to revoke charters.

As for rumors, please show me where they are. This thread has been heavily edited and deleted in to avoid that sort of thing.

Kevin..........it is not difficult at all to conceal that you are coked up unless somebody knows exactly what to look for. I doubt that a bunch of girls at a big party would start checking out her pupils and the palms of her hands the minute she walked in the door. Furthermore, when you are doing a lot of blow, it pretty much cancels out the effects that alcohol have on you.........which is why it is dangerous to drink a lot and mix in cocaine.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by macallan25

Kevin..........it is not difficult at all to conceal that you are coked up unless somebody knows exactly what to look for. I doubt that a bunch of girls at a big party would start checking out her pupils and the palms of her hands the minute she walked in the door. Furthermore, when you are doing a lot of blow, it pretty much cancels out the effects that alcohol have on you.........which is why it is dangerous to drink a lot and mix in cocaine.

I would think it'd be easy to conceal from people who didn't know what to look for, but what about the people she was using with? I guess it's possible that she consumed different substances with different groups, but it seems like there would have been a couple of people who might have recognized the danger she was in based on their own personal experience. I'm not limiting this to just sorority members or just the night of her death.

I don't think most drug or alcohol related deaths are in groups of people who up until the death had no previous experience with drugs and alcohol. It would seem that if we encourage people to take more responsibility for each other, some if it might be preventable, but maybe I'm kidding myself about the level of clear thinking people are capable of.

I read about the SMU girl on a blog, but I'm guessing she wasn't Greek on the reports would have emphasized it. In the report I read, her mom found a rolled up bill that had been used to snort cocaine in the girl's room in her condo a couple of weeks before her death. I'm not sure what one's mom should do in such situation, but it's surprising based on my family experience that she was available to meet with her drug dealer. Was the cause of death an OD in her case? I wasn't sure that the dealer hadn't killed her.

[macallan25]

I never heard the follow up, but all of the early indications showed overdose as the casue.