A driver who struck and killed a Victoria woman and critically injured her sister three years ago in Central Saanich had a potentially toxic level of methamphetamine in his system, a forensic toxicologist testified Tuesday.
Kimberly Young, who works in the Surrey RCMP forensic lab, was called to testify as an expert witness at Anthony Thomas’s trial in B.C. Supreme Court.
Thomas has pleaded not guilty to impaired driving and dangerous driving causing the death of Victoria massage therapist Kim Ward on Aug. 27, 2018 and with impaired driving and dangerous driving causing bodily harm to her sister, Tracy Ward.
The trial has heard that police obtained a search warrant for blood samples taken from Thomas at the hospital that evening. The samples were sent to RCMP forensic labs in Vancouver and Ottawa, analyzed by several technologists and reviewed by Young.
On Tuesday, Young testified that there was 297 nanograms of methamphetamine, 39 nanograms of amphetamine and 14 nanograms of Alprazolam in one millilitre of Thomas’s blood. Alprozolam is a benzodiazepine commonly known as Xanax, she said. It is prescribed for generalized anxiety or panic disorders, but is also used recreationally.
Methamphetamine is a central nervous system stimulant drug which speeds up the body. It is illegal in Canada. Amphetamine is also a central nervous system stimulant drug and is prescribed in Canada for attention deficit disorder, Young testified.
Methamphetamine is smoked, injected, snorted and taken orally, said Young. People who smoke or inject the drug feel the effects almost instantly. It takes an hour or two for someone to feel the effects if taken orally.
“The reason people take it recreationally is initially it provides a rapid, pleasurable rush. … They feel stimulated, energized. It can provide euphoria,” Young testified. “There’s increased alertness, increased energy. … It’s a good drug feeling.”
There are also adverse effects such as anxiety, paranoia and rapid confused speech, said Young. And the more people take, the more intense and significant are the effects.
“As you take more and more, there’s evidence of psychosis, aggressive and violent thoughts and behaviours and motor restlessness where the person can’t sit still,” she testified.
With chronic binge use, when the effects start to wear off, the person takes it again and again to maintain a state of euphoria. But the euphoria doesn’t last that long. Chronic use is associated with psychosis, aggression and confusion, said Young.
For methamphetamine, the scientific consensus is that 150 to 200 nanograms per millilitre and above is considered to have the start of toxic symptoms, Young testified.
“That’s where you move from the benefit of taking a particular drug and moving into more adverse effects,” she explained.
Prosecutor Tim Stokes asked if levels of 100 to 200 nanograms per millilitre of methamphetamine can affect a person’s cognitive ability.
Even at therapeutic levels of below 100 nanograms, methamphetamine can affect a person’s cognitive ability, Young replied.
With repeated, consistent dosing of methamphetamine, people develop tolerance to the drug so the reaction is diminished, said Young. With recreational use, individuals will take more and more of the drug because they want to achieve the same feel-good effects every time.
“But if you take more drugs, sometimes the level in your body goes higher. That’s why what’s considered a recreational level for one person, might be a toxic level for another person,” Young testified.
Her testimony will continue today.
