Liquor ban after teen's near death

Only a matter of time before someone dies - police

SONIA GERKEN/Southland Times

OFF THE SHELF: Liquorland manager Glenn Dickson removes absinthe from his shop after two teens, one near death, were admitted to hospital when they collapsed after drinking the potent liqour.

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A Southland teenager's near-death experience after drinking Absinthe has prompted authorities to ban sales of the potent liqueur.

Marc Hansen stopped breathing three times before he was put on life support after drinking shots of 89.9 percent proof Absinthe on August 2.

Another Gore teenager ended up in hospital last weekend, also after drinking Absinthe shots.

The Mataura Licensing Trust board this week voted unanimously to stop selling the liqueur.

The Invercargill Licensing Trust has also removed it from public sale.

Invercargill police liquor licensing head Sergeant John Harris said police were aware young people were buying Absinthe for shots.

It was only a matter of time before someone died, he said.

Marc said he took responsibility for his decision to drink Absinthe.

He wanted to make people aware of the dangers and avoid what he went through.

It had started like any other Saturday, the 17-year-old having a few beers at rugby before going to a party.

This time though he was offered some Absinthe and collapsed after only a few shots.

His mother Monica said he was lucky someone at the party checked his pupils and called an ambulance.

"We, as parents, had to watch him die twice in the ambulance and once at (Southland) Hospital before he was put on life support."

Mrs Hansen paid tribute to the St John Ambulance staff and medical and nursing personnel at Gore and Southland hospital who had been "brilliant".

Mr Harris said Marc's decision to share his story was gutsy.

The police raid squad boss hoped Absinthe would be banned throughout Southland, if not the whole country.

New Zealand already had a huge problem with alcohol abuse without allowing something as potent as Absinthe to be sold, Mr Harris said. 

Absinthe is banned in some countries and has long been known to have an hallucinogenic-type effect on some people.

Invercargill Licensing Trust general manager Greg Mulvey said the trust stocked Absinthe only for the licensed trade but it had been put back on the shelf at Centrepoint during the past few months.

"As soon as it was brought to our attention we have removed it," he said.

Mataura Licensing Trust general manager John Wyeth said Absinthe had been on the shelf for about two years. Only three dozen bottles have been sold.

"It's the most horrid tasting drink you could imagine."

The trust would supply Absinthe but only by special request, Mr Wyeth said.

In Queenstown, Absinthe shots were less popular than they had been about five years ago, although a St John Wakatipu spokesman said a man in his 20's was admitted to Lakes District Hospital several months ago after drinking half a bottle of Aminsthe.

However, Surreal Restaurant and bar owner Mel Knox said she chose not to stock it, because she had seen the downside of its effects while working in Spain about 15 years ago.

"It was sometimes like people were on acid or something, it changed their personality really quickly and then others (drank it) and were fine," Ms Knox said.

One Queenstown bottle store manager said they only mainly sold it to older tourists who could not buy it in their home countries.

- © Fairfax NZ News