Life Skills Education

Posts Tagged ‘Death by Drugs’

Three arrested over suspected mephedrone deaths

Drug has become increasingly popular among young club goers despite fears about side-effects

Police have arrested three people following the deaths of two teenagers who are believed to have taken mephedrone, a legal drug which gives users a similar experience to ecstasy or cocaine.

Humberside police said last night that men aged 26 and 20 and a 17-year-old boy were in custody in connection with an investigation into the case of Louis Wainwright, 18, and Nicholas Smith, 19.

The teenagers are believed to have been drinking together in Scunthorpe until the early hours of Tuesday morning. Wainwright was found dead at his home in Winteringham, North Yorkshire, later that day. Several hours later, police found Smith dead at his home in Scunthorpe.

One of the arrested men was treated in hospital after also apparently taking the drug, known as “meow meow” or “M-cat”, which has become increasingly popular among young club goers despite fears about side-effects that can include nose bleeds, joint pains, paranoia, heart palpitations, insomnia and memory problems.

Detective chief inspector Mark Oliver said: “We have information to suggest these deaths are linked to M-cat. We would encourage anyone who may have taken the drug or knows somebody who has taken the drug to attend a local hospital as a matter of urgency.

“Anyone who knows somebody who has possession of the drug, we would encourage them to either hand it in to a local police station or dispose of the substance and contact Humberside police.”

Police investigating the deaths found empty mephedrone packets and packages marked “herbal highs” when they searched a property, the force said.

The drug, which comes in the form of a powder, tablets, crystals or liquid, is often sold via the internet, where it can be marketed as plant food, another name for the substance. Health and drug workers and police have become increasingly concerned at its use but are unable to do anything as it remains legal.

In December, Jersey banned the substance, making it a class C drug. Authorities on Guernsey said they were considering classifying mephedrone as class A.

The Home Office has asked the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs to look into whether a nationwide ban is needed.

Article taken from

According to the BBC, The National Association of Head Teachers has called for urgent action to be taken over the drug.

You can also read about it on the local ITV news here…

For more information on what exactly mephedrone is, the effect is has on the human body and the current laws surrounding it, check out Drugscope (below)

Dead smoker has ‘Smoking Killed Me’ signs placed on hearse

A life-long smoker had his dying wish honoured today when he had the words ”Smoking Killed Me” placed on signs in his hearse.

Albert Whittamore, known as Dick, died last month aged 85 after suffering for years from emphysema, a progressive lung condition he blamed on his habit.

He wanted the ill-effects of his smoking to act as a warning to others and dictated in his will that the signs be placed inside his hearse as it passed through his home town of Dover in Kent.

One of the signs was also placed at Mr Whittamore’s graveside, according to his wishes.

Paul Sullivan, of Sullivan & Son funeral directors, said: ”Although he had reached the age of 85, he had been suffering for a while and wanted to do his bit to warn others about smoking.

”He specified that that’s what he wanted in his will. We gave it some thought but after a while we decided that that’s what he had requested.”

Mr Whittamore, who ran a small printing business in a shop below his home, was forced to use a motorised wheelchair in his later years as his health faltered.

A spokesman for the stop smoking charity Quit said: ”We understand Dick had emphysema, which is a lung condition caused by smoking which results in people struggling for breath.

”Dick is sending out a strong message to smokers as he doesn’t want others to suffer.”

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Dear Heroin,

I never want to touch you ever again. You’ve ruined my life, made me steal from my family, on probation ’cause of you. Why I choose you I don’t know?

You’re the worst thing that ever came into my life. Yes, I did love you but now it’s time to say goodbye.

I’m so ashamed of myself ’cause of you. I OD’d three times, you’re a big risk to anyone that does it and to me.

So I’m going to be strong and stay away from you and never touch you again.

My family have supported me all the way but I just kick them up the backside taking advantage of them. Stole off my mother, granddad, mam I borrowed money off her and didn’t give it back. She’s getting old now, and look what you’ve made me do, my nan – £120 stolen off her, once again ’cause of you.

I love my family from the bottom of my heart, it’s not nice being called a junkie. It feels horrible, you feel so small. Well I feel small, you made me feel like I’m worth nothing, just a dirty junkie sticking needles in my arms.

You’re out of my life now, don’t need you no more. Yeah, you’ve messed up nearly two and a half years of my life but I’ve still got my whole life ahead of me and I’m going to prove to everyone that I can stay away from you, going to college, getting a job and a car.

Then get on with my life and get my family’s trust back. Stop offending, that’s the only reason I was doing all that ’cause of your dirty addiction. You make me sick to be honest with you.

I did love the buzz of you but you’re not worth it.

But not anymore, I’ll make sure you stay away from me, and I’ll stay away from you.

I was brought up by a good family not a bad one, yeah I’ve had a lot of problems in my life, been quite bad actually, all because of you!!

You’re a killer, you’ve killed a lot of people and really they are good people. I’m lucky that you haven’t put me in a box cemetery.

Lost loads of my mates and it hurts me, they sometimes blank me ’cause they know I’ve been on you it’s not nice when I’ve got pin holes in my arms and marks, track marks.

The illness that I go through when I use you and the after effects, cold turkey, clucking, withdrawals, it’s the worst feeling that you’ve put me through, being bad off you.

Wanted to kill myself a few times ’cause I couldn’t go through it. Well guess what heroin, I can and did do it. I can beat you anytime. I can control you, you don’t control me.

I’ve got enough will power to get you out of my life for good. I’m strong and much stronger than you can ever be. I’m not losing anything over you.

Goodbye heroin. Never again. Family comes first.

Hannah Meredith

1992 – 2009

A DRUG used as a “legal high” could be banned in the UK after five teenagers from one small County Durham village suffered a serious reaction.

Mephedrone is being sold legally on the internet as plant fertiliser but is more commonly known on the streets as “drone”, “bubble” or “meow meow”.

Its chemical formula is one molecule different to ecstasy and as such dealers claim is not a controlled substance. Their sales pitch is that in powder, crystal or liquid form it is a legal ecstasy-style drug.

However, Durham Police are warning that its use can result in severe nose bleeds, nose burns, hallucinations, blood circulation problems, rashes, anxiety and paranoia, fits, delusions and can lead to a heart attack.

Bishop Auckland MP Helen Goodman acted after five teenagers from the village of Cockfield, in her own constituency, were hospitalised after taking the drug.

She said: “I was really shocked by what happened in Cockfield and I know the local police are also very concerned about the impact this dangerous drug is having on our community.

“It is quite clear that legal status does make a difference, and that as long as this drug remains legal young people are more likely to use it and the police are less able to tackle the problem.

“I think its really important that this drug becomes illegal as soon as possible, and I am optimistic that we will have an announcement on it before Easter.”

She has also met Neighbourhood Police teams in Barnard Castle to hear their “serious concerns” about the recent increase in mephedrone use by local teenagers.

She has written to the Home Office to call for the drug to be banned and the Drug Advisory Council – which makes recommendations to the Home Secretary about drug classification – will shortly publish its assessment on the dangers of various ‘legal highs’ including mephedrone.

Parliament will then have the opportunity to consider their report and it is hoped it may move to make it illegal.

Inspector Kevin Tuck of Teesdale police added: “We met with Mrs Goodman last week to express our concerns and to gain her support in trying to have this substance controlled as soon as possible. She recognises the real harm mephedrone poses to users and communities within the Bishop Auckland constituency and has acted quickly to raise the issue with the Home Office.

“We are grateful for this quick intervention and understanding. Although Teesdale was one of the first hot spots in the UK this is now a national issue with numerous reported incidents and problems the length of the country. Teesdale Police want to keep this issue in the public domain to help educate potential users, parents, teachers and other professionals in an effort to reduce harm.”

In Sweden an 18-year-old died from taking the drug and it has now been banned there, as well as Israel, Norway and Finland.

Article taken from Journal Live

Children as young as 11 are drinking two bottles of wine a week – more than the recommended limit for an adult woman – official figures reveal.

By Rebecca Smith, Medical Editor

Children in the north of the country drink and smoke more than those in the south, data from the NHS Information Centre has found.

In particular, girls aged between 11 and 15 in the Midlands and the North are drinking more than the recommended limits for adult women.

They are consuming around a bottle and a half of wine a week.

Adult women are advised not to drink more than two to three units a day (or up to 14 units a week) and men not more than three to four (or up to 21 units a week) with two alcohol free days a week.

Sir Liam Donaldson, Chief Medical Officer, said last year that parents should not let their children drink alcohol at all.

More than one in four girls in the North East had a drink in the past week and on average consumed 15.5 units. Girls in the East Midlands, North West and Yorkshire and Humber drank similar amounts.

The pattern was less clear for boys but in general those in the Midlands and the North were more likely to have drunk in the last week than those in the south and to have consumed more.

More than one in four boys in the North East had a drink in the last week and on average drank 20.2 units, the equivalent of eight and a half pints of strong lager or more than two bottles of wine.

Boys and girls in London were the least likely to drink and average consumption of those who did was also lower.

The data, based on surveys of over 23,000 children in England, showed boys drank more than girls in almost all regions.

It is the first time that alcohol consumption for children aged 11 to 15 has been calculated by region.

Previous studies have shown that fewer children are drinking alcohol but those who do consume large amounts.

On smoking children in the north of the country were more likely to have smoked a cigarette in the last year than those in the south and were more likely to smoke regularly.

Children in all of the regions were less likely to have tried drugs than cigarettes or alcohol.

A fifth of 11 to 15 year olds in the North West had taken drugs in the last year compared with around one in seven in the South West.

One in eight children in the North West said they had taken cannabis in the last year compared with one in 12 in the North East.

Tim Straughan, Chief executive of The NHS Information Centre, said: “The report shows there are significant regional differences in the percentages of young people who smoke, drink or use drugs.

“It is interesting to note that London has such comparatively low levels of drink, drug and alcohol use among its 11 to 15-year-olds.

“In contrast, youngsters in the North East are more likely than their peers anywhere else in the country to smoke and drink alcohol. However, they are the least likely to take cannabis.”

Don Shenker, Chief Executive of Alcohol Concern, said: “Today’s figures are very worrying. We’ve seeing a slight decline in the number of children who drink, but those who do drink are drinking much more.

“Too many young people are now drinking at or above safe adult levels, yet their bodies are less able to cope with the harm alcohol can cause.

“We’ve already seen an almost one thousand per cent increase in liver cirrhosis deaths in the 25-44 age group. This is impacting our health services and the lives of families across the UK.”

He said the government must heed advice and opt for minimum pricing of alcohol which would mean it could not be bought at pocket money prices.

Professor Ian Gilmore, President of the Royal College of Physicians and Chairman of the UK Alcohol Health Alliance said: “These figures indicate that for many young teenagers drinking has moved beyond experimentation and into far more dangerous territory.

“Regular consumption at these levels, especially when compressed into heavy sessions at the weekend puts boys and girls at considerable risk.

“At this age the adolescent mind is still developing, and for an unlucky minority heavy drinking so early will have profound and long lasting implications for their learning and problem solving skills. Tougher penalties for those found to be selling alcohol to youngsters are welcome, but parents and families also have a responsibility to help their offspring make healthy choices.”

Children’s Minister Dawn Primarolo said: “I am pleased that these statistics show a decline in the number of young people smoking, drinking alcohol and taking drugs.

“The Government has been committed to providing young people with the right advice and support they need to make safe and sensible decisions. Importantly we have given parents, carers and schools additional guidance and expert advice so that young people can turn to a trusted adult to discuss their concerns about smoking, drinking and drugs.”

Article taken from

Children as young as 12 are turning up at school under the influence of a “legal high” drug, teachers and health workers have warned.

Teachers have reported a dramatic surge in the number of children showing signs of taking “meow meow” – or mephedrone – before attending lessons.

The drug, which is sold as fertilliser on the internet and can be bought for as little as £3, is believed to have similar effects to ecstasy.

But health workers and police warn that it causes severe side-effects, including convulsions, hallucinations, nosebleeds, headaches and breathing problems.

Teachers towns and cities, including Brighton, Durham, Harrogate and York, are now being given emergency training in spotting signs of the drug.

The dangers of “meow meow” and other legal highs is also being added to lessons in personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) in some areas.

The move comes just months after the drug was linked to the death of schoolgirl Gabrielle Price in Worthing, West Sussex. The 14-year-old suffered a cardiac arrest and died in hospital after taking a suspected cocktail of drugs including mephedrone.

This week, a teenager is also believed to have died at a house party after experimenting with the drug for the first time. The body of the 18-year-old was found at a flat in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, on Tuesday.

In Brighton, it was reported that children as young as 12 and 13 are taking the drug on school buses.

Sam Beal, healthy schools team leader for Brighton City Council, told the Times Educational Supplement that increasing numbers of pupils “started using ‘meow meow’ at the end of last summer and we have big concerns about this”.

“Teachers hear about this more and more and they are concerned that the drugs are being brought into schools,” he said.

Sgt Geoff Crocker, from North Yorkshire Police, based in Harrogate, said: “It’s easily available and cheap and we’ve seen enterprising pupils start selling it in school.”

Darren Archer, manager of the County Durham drugs and alcohol action team, told the TES: “We’ve mostly seen it as part of a risk-taking culture among young people, particularly in colleges.”

Article taken from

 Education programs and intervention efforts aimed at teenagers often seek to eliminate immediate consequences by helping them make responsible choices about alcohol and drugs. One of the many areas requiring attention is keeping kids from immediate dangers, such as driving while intoxicated.

As teens are educated, however, it is also critical for those designing programs to understand how early drinking decisions affect young people in later life. Recently a study by Hingson, Heeren and Edwards explored these ongoing effects.

The researchers looked at people who had ever consumed alcohol to see whether an early age at the time of drinking onset and dependence then predicted drug use and dependence.

The study also looked at whether driving decisions were affected. The researchers wanted to explore whether drinkers who have used drugs have predictable patterns in behaviors relating to driving under the influence of drugs and motor-vehicle crash involvement because of drugs.

The study employed a United States national sample of 42,867 persons aged 18 and older. The participants were surveyed in 1991 to 1992. The researchers used logistic regression analysis to examine the associations between those who had ever consumed alcohol. There were numerous controls used for demographics and personal characteristics.

The results of the study showed that among participants that had ever consumed alcohol, 22 percent used drugs, 10 percent had driven under the influence of drugs, and nearly 1 percent had been in a motor-vehicle crash because of drug use, which is the equivalent of one million people.

The younger the age of the respondents when they began to drink and whether they had experienced alcohol dependence were associated with greater odds of having used drugs and experiencing drug dependence.

For those who had used both alcohol and drugs, having experienced drug dependence was the most significant predictor of driving under the influence of drugs and involvement in an automobile accident because of drug use.

The study has several implications for education and intervention programs. Programs to reduce drug-related automobile accidents needs to incorporate drug use prevention and treatment. There should also be attention given to prevention of early alcohol use and treatment for alcohol dependence.

The study provides important information for those educating and preventing alcohol and drug use and dependence. An early introduction to alcohol and drug use can have long-term effects in predicting other behaviors relating to alcohol and drugs.

Article taken from Drug Addiction Treatment

A GIRL of 14 died after taking a dangerous but legal new drug at a party, it emerged yesterday.

Gabrielle Price was said to have taken a combination of ketamine and a new drug, known on the street as meow meow, before she became ill.

Other partygoers dialled 999 and ambulance staff battled to save her but she died later that evening in hospital from heart attack.

Liberal Democrat health spokesman Norman Lamb said: ‘It’s absolutely horrifying and a tragic loss of such a young life. It’s frightening that this drug is available on the internet without anyone having any idea of the dangerous consequences.’

The teenager, known as Gabi, was at a party on the Moulsecoomb estate in Brighton when she was taken ill. She had taken meow meow, also known as mephedrone and described as a cross between ecstasy and cocaine, as well as the clubbers’ drug ketamine.

Meow meow, sold as ‘plant food’ online, can create feelings of euphoria but can also cause paranoia and nosebleeds. Last year, it was linked to the death of an 18-year-old in Sweden, where it is now banned.

The article continues here

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