Coroner's Finding: White, Paul Marcus

42y · Male·Ischaemic heart disease and methylamphetamine intoxication

Paul Marcus White, a 42-year-old male, died on 21 June 2014 from the combined effects of ischaemic heart disease and methylamphetamine intoxication. While playing football, he left the field with a hamstring strain and was found unconscious in the change room shower approximately 15-20 minutes later. Ambulance personnel performed CPR and administered emergency medications including adrenalin and amiodarone. Autopsy revealed severe coronary artery disease (95% stenosis of the left anterior descending artery), evidence of chronic intravenous drug use with track marks, and subacute myocardial infarction. Toxicology detected methylamphetamine at 2.0 mg/L, in the toxic range, plus cannabis. The coroner concluded death resulted from Mr White deliberately injecting a fatal quantity of methylamphetamine while already having significant underlying coronary disease. The death was deemed unintentional. The coroner highlighted the dangers of methylamphetamine use, particularly crystal methamphetamine ("ice"), and its association with cardiovascular mortality and psychiatric effects.