Letter: Blame Ecstasy

G S SINCLAIR writes that there is to date no reported death caused directly by Ecstasy (Letters, 21 January). I presume he or she is referring to the fact that drinking excessive quantities of water has been blamed for recent deaths. The facts are surely that these youngsters would not have ingested fatal amounts of water had they not taken Ecstasy. A similar analogy may be made concerning gunshot wounds to the abdomen; death might not be caused directly by the bullet, but may be a result of blood loss.

I am sure that these "facts" are of no consolation to the family of a teenager dying after taking Ecstasy.

Dr Robin Foster

Warrington, Cheshire