Five young people were sent to Kalnes hospital on the night of Sunday after a Russ party in Halden. It is not known what kind of substance they had ingested, but a new, synthetic drug is suspected.

It was after a Russ party in Halden that five young people had to be sent to hospital with serious breathing problems. It is suspected that they may have used a new narcotic drug.

NTB reports on the case.

They have unusual symptoms. We are talking about symptoms we have not seen before. They hallucinate and scream in pain, says Dag Jacobsen, senior doctor at Poison Information, to VG.

According to Jacobsen, there are rumors that there is a new drug on the streets, a mixture of different substances. Blood and urine samples have been taken from the five.

Could also have been methanol

Maybe someone can anonymously give the drug in question to the police, so it can be analysed, which is easier than analyzing blood and urine, says Jacobsen to TV 2. He says they have been in contact with Ullevål Hospital and that the patients’ samples will be analyzed Monday.

He says they also cannot ignore the fact that it may be methanol that the young people have ingested.

Not long ago there was methanol poisoning in Østfold, which probably came from a batch of bad alcohol, says Jacobsen.

It is now encouraged not to drink from other people’s bottles or cans. While the police inform the newspaper that they have not been directly involved in the case, but that they were present at the meeting.

Waiting for more information from the police

General manager of Landstreff Fredriksten, Lasse Kjønigsen, tells NRK that they were unaware of the admissions.

Apart from what we read in the newspaper, we know nothing about these young people ending up in hospital or using synthetic drugs. We are waiting for more information from the police, he says.

He says there were security guards at the event who checked the participants for drugs.

In today’s society, it is naive to believe that none of them have taken drugs. We have not caught any, but it is clear that it can be put in many places, says Kjønigsen.

The times are obviously over when the Russ was about happy, carefree youth celebrating with innocent pranks and fun. Now drugs and violence are part of the picture that is increasingly being reported.

The Russ is not characterised as much by a community of young people who party and have fun together, now there are more different groups that are in sometimes bitter conflict with each other.

This trend has continued for several years.