Stupidity events are by no means a rare occurrence. It is, however, not often that the judicial system supports and rubber-stamps a stupidity event. Consider the case of 23 year old Canadian, Sandra Bergen, who successfully sued her drug dealer for selling product that put her in a coma. The product in question: crystal methamphetamine (angel dust*, shabu, blade, quartz, super ice or what have you).
Sandra Bergen of Saskatchewan successfully sued her drug dealer, Clinton Davey, for knowingly selling her a drug that was highly addictive and dangerous and with intent to injure. After dosing on her new purchase, Bergen promptly had a heart attack and spent 11 days in a coma (time that was clearly spent dreaming of ways to cash in on her misfortune). Apparently, addicts aren’t already familiar with the side-effects of drugs such as crystal meth and, further, expect that their drug dealers explicitly spell out the risks involved. Because, you know, the illicit drug trade is a highly regulated, federally managed industry like pharmaceuticals. We at the Womb expect this sort of behavior from addicts. They live in their own warped world. We suspect they also want nutrition labels on the little plastic baggies.
For a judge to to rule in favor of Bergen’s lawsuit, though, is an astonishing prospect. It seems the judge so ruled because Mr. Davey refused to give up his drug source, something to be expected really (unless the man wants to be marked for death). Nevertheless, we can’t see how protecting your drug source is tantamount to rejecting one’s defense plea; that Bergen knew full well the effects and potential danger of crystal meth.
A date for the hearing on damages has not yet been set, but Bergen is seeking $50,000 in compensation. The only way this story could get any more ridiculous would be if the judge granted her monetary request. It seems unlikely, but then, we would have thought this case was meritless and yet, here it is. Imagine the precedent a successful compensation would set.
Bergen should be in jail (coma or not) for consuming illicit drugs. Her dealer, Davey, should be in jail for distributing drugs. End of story. No doubt the next stupidity event will involve fat people suing fast food franchises, smokers suing the tobacco companies and patrons suing McDonalds because hot coffee is hot. Wait a minute…
BBC article HERE.
* Reader Drew rightly points out that Angel Dust is actually PCP.
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As stupid as the lawsuit is, I have say that if you make your living selling drugs, then anything you get you deserve! Perhaps if more Dealers were sued there would be less of them. On an editorial note, if your going to use street names as a reference you should at least use the right ones. Angel Dust is PCP (phencyclidine) not meth.
Right you are, the article has been amended to reflect such, good eye. Or is it nose?
While I agree drug dealers deserve any unfortunate turn of luck that comes their way, I think it is absurd a drug-abuser can sue the dealer and win, especially under the pretense of ignorance about the product. Can Bergen really not have known the effects of meth? Further, it’s pretty silly to assume drug dealers want to knowingly harm their customers (in this case, put them into comas) as it is just bad business.
Besides, how come they both aren’t simply behind bars?
This is a great thing. I would love to see warning labels being attached to heroin baggies. That would be funny as hell.
“Does Class A absolutely guarantee dat dey is bettah quality?”
- Ali G.