Wigan drug user hoped to change ways before his death

Ryan Green, 38, had contact with substance misuse recovery service We Are With You several times since 2016, but it was only in April this year that he started to engage with the support available.

An inquest at Bolton Coroner’s Court heard he was referred on April 9 by the police and an assessment was scheduled for May 4.

Team leader Kevin Hobin said he did not know why there was such a wait for the appointment, as it usually only took six or seven days.

Mr Green, who lived in Orrell, was assessed and spoke about his long-term use of heroin and crack cocaine.

In an appointment on May 13, Mr Green undertook drug screening which showed he had taken opiates, methadone, cocaine and benzodiazepine.

He spoke about wanting to access prescribed treatment, become abstinent and work towards supporting other people affected by substance misuse, Mr Hobin told the inquest.

Mr Green attended another appointment on May 19 and a plan was made for him to use methadone and access support groups.

But on May 25, he was rushed to hospital after being found unresponsive at a friend’s house in Orrell.

The inquest heard Mr Green was an intravenous drug user and went to Cheetham Hill regularly to buy drugs.

He went to a friend’s house on May 25 , having seemingly already taken drugs, and they went to a bedroom to use more.

At around 9.30pm Mr Green was found sitting on the toilet, snoring loudly.

His friends were not concerned initially, but went to the bathroom again and found he was unresponsive.

They gave three shots of heroin antidote naloxone and phoned 999, giving CPR until paramedics arrived.

Mr Green was taken to Wigan Infirmary, but he died shortly before midnight.

A post-mortem examination revealed track marks on his groin from drug use and tests showed he had taken a combination of drugs, including cocaine, methadone, morphine and opiates.

His medical cause of death was mixed drug toxicity.

Coroner Prof Dr Alan Walsh recorded he had a drugs-related death.

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