Boulder police said Friday the death of a University of Colorado student after drinking opium tea is being investigated and may lead to charges.
Sarah Huntley, spokeswoman for the Boulder Police Department, said Alex McGuiggan, 20, was found dead by roommates at his home in the 3400 block of Moorhead Avenue late last month.
Huntley said the Boulder County coroner’s office ruled Friday that the death was accidental, caused by a morphine overdose.
“Although McGuiggan is deceased, criminal charges are still possible against other individuals,” Huntley said.
The investigation has been assigned to the Boulder County Drug Task Force, headed by Cmdr. Tom Sloan.
The task force is made up of several law-enforcement agencies, including the Boulder Police Department.
Huntley said people should be particularly cautious when ingesting products such as opium tea because of their possible deadly effects.
Although poppy seeds and pods can be purchased over the Internet, they are not necessarily safe, she said. Depending how they are used, they also may be illegal.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
