A new approach to drugs could save young lives

It is time to accept that the war on drugs is being lost and try fresh tactics.

What a sad start to the week the news of the death of tragic Clydebank teenager Regane MacColl was.

With her life stretching out in front of her and everything to live for, she was snatched away after taking ecstasy on a night out.

Behind her she left a trail of untold grief and sorrow for her family, who now have only pictures and memories to comfort them.

Ecstasy. Never has something been so poorly named. Agony would be more appropriate.

Many have pointed out that Regane was only 17 at the time of her death and therefore shouldn’t have been out clubbing in the first place. That may be true but would it really have made any difference to her family if she had been 18, 19 or 20? Would her death have been any less tragic? Of course not!

Blame will no doubt be unfairly attached to the club, and while the body count climbs we will again refuse to accept the inarguable fact that the war on drugs is being lost.

The genie was let out the bottle a long time ago and he ain’t going back. Criminalisation and prohibition is not working and a more enlightened and progressive approach must be seriously considered.

It is reckoned that up to 60 million illegal pills are now popped every year by clubbers throughout the UK and no matter how many fatalities occur or how many people are admitted to hospital that figure is not set to go down any time soon.

Sextacy, Love Bombs, Dancing Biscuits the slang terms for Ecstasy or MDMA are many, as is the variety available, and every type contains a different mix of chemicals and has different effects.

All are unlicensed, untested and unregulated and, given that we know that some of these compounds are deadly and that so many of them are being consumed, that, in my opinion, is not on.

We have to look at some way of regulating them and making them safer, if only to stop needless deaths like Regane’s.

I realise that for many that idea is unthinkable and irresponsible, but are we being responsible by allowing our children to be sold deadly poisons by evil dealers who are only out to make a quick buck?

Then there is the question of ‘legal highs’. Again they are untested, unlicensed and the effects on the user unknown, yet they are snorted or smoked in ever increasing numbers.

The police and authorities eventually ban them but the following week another variety is on sale. The tail is wagging the dog and the ineffectual cycle of banning legal highs is a legal low. Having some control over them seems to me a lot better and safer than having none at all!

Just before Christmas a young lad collapsed at one of my bars and was rushed downstairs for the paramedics to treat him. He was not in a good way and my staff and I feared he was not going to recover.

Thankfully he did and it turns out that he had purchased what he thought was a high energy caffeine drink from a newsagent. Unfortunately he’d bought amyl nitrate, a toxic liquid inhaled by those who want a quick high.

I couldn’t believe it! Amyl nitrate on sale beside sweets and newspapers! What next? Cyanide beside the milk? Anthrax above the crisps?

The bottom line is if the boy had died the boys family would have been devastated, my club would have been closed as investigations were carried out and we would be none the wiser as to the cause of his death.

But my question here is why was the stuff on sale in newsagents at all? As I said before, it’s about time we changed our whole approach to this ever increasing problem.

Unless we stop sticking our heads in the sand, admit that current legislation is not working and at least consider legalising and properly regulating the use and supply of drugs, the dealers will just get richer and our morgues busier.