Coroner recommends drug checks at music festivals after death of teen at Center of Gravity

A 16-year-old Kamloops teenager who died at a Kelowna music festival last summer consumed a “lethal level” of MDA which she thought was ecstasy, according to a coroner’s report released on Thursday.

Adison Davies attended the Center of Gravity (COG) musical festival with friends, but her life came to a sudden end on July 27, 2018.

The coroner’s report says Davies died of a seizure and cardiac arrest after consuming what she thought was a tablet of ecstasy.

The coroner’s report says street drugs can contain diluents or unexpected psychoactive substances and MDMA or ecstasy can also be sold as MDA, which has more stimulant and hallucinogenic properties.

WATCH (Aired July 2018) Death at Kelowna’s Centre of Gravity festival

1:46 Death at Kelowna’s Centre of Gravity festival

Coroner Adele Lambert notes that drug checking services were not available at COG, despite an April 2018 recommendation to create provincial drug checking services.

The recommendation was included in a BC Coroners Service report investigating illicit drug overdose deaths in the province.

“Drug checking is one approach to harm reduction that aims to inform people who use drugs about the contents of their substances,” it says.

The coroner’s report into Davies death includes a recommendation to the Interior Health Authority (IHA) that it “ensures drug checking and information about harm reduction and substance use risks are available at major events where illicit substance use is a known risk.”

Davies is remembered by her family and friends as a “bright young girl with a promising future,” according to a GoFundMe page.

It says Davies was set to graduate from high school early and was enrolled in psychology and sociology at Thompson Rivers University (TRU) in Kamloops.

Davies dreamed of a career in medicine and maintained two jobs to save up enough money to buy her first vehicle.

“The pain is unimaginable but with all the support from family and friends we have somehow been able to stay afloat,” says a message from her family posted to the fundraising page.

“There really are not many words we can say as our lives have been altered forever but we will continue to cherish our wonderful memories of Adi. We will always look back on the people who came to us in a time of need and we will be forever grateful.”

In February, Center of Gravity announced it will not return in 2019.

On Thursday, Interior Health issued a statement regarding the coroner’s report.

“The death of Adison Davies is a tragedy and our hearts go out to her family and friends,” said Dr. Silvina Mema, Interior Health medical health officer.

“Interior Health supports the recommendation that drug checking and general harm reduction services be available at all mass gatherings where illicit substance use is a known risk.

“Having these services available at these types of events provides an opportunity for people to have important and lifesaving conversations with knowledgeable staff. From our perspective, these services need to include technologies that test for fentanyl and other substances.”