A father has shared shocking images of his son in hospital in a stark warning to other teenagers of the dangers of taking drugs.
Simon Lindsay’s son Jamie ended up on a life support machine after taking an illegal substance at a Belfast music festival.
The warning comes shortly after concerned campaigners criticised a plan to allow people to check the ‘purity’ of their illegal drugs, including cocaine and ecstasy, at music festivals.
‘Don’t take drugs’
Don’t take drugs – simple – they kill you. One pill can kill.
In a passionate post on Facebook, Simon wrote: “Jamie went to Belsonic with his friends – but he made the worst mistake he has ever made and almost paid for it with his life.
“Jamie had been drinking and made a drunken decision that he now regrets. We are so angry with Jamie for what he done. We will not lie for him or condone what he did.”
Remarkably, the teenager is recovering and is now back at home with his family.
Simon added: “Don’t take drugs – simple – they kill you. One pill can kill.”
Music festivals
Last month, the National Drug Prevention Alliance (NDPA) spoke out about music festivals after it was announced that the ‘drug purity plan’, run by an organisation called The Loop, will be available at festivals this summer including Reading and Leeds.
Police officers at the festivals will reportedly continue to arrest drug dealers, but not the drug users visiting the tents.
Assistant Chief Constable for West Yorkshire Police, Andy Battle, said the police “can never condone the use of illegal drugs”, but added that it had to “adapt” its approach “in the interests of public safety”.
‘Illegal’
Speaking for the NDPA, David Raynes warned that it will “simply normalise drug taking amongst the young”, adding: “Drugs are illegal because they are unsafe and that is the message that the police ought to be giving”.
The scheme has not yet been backed by The National Police Chiefs’ Council, with a spokesman saying it “could not support initiatives that do not comply with the law or that have unintended negative consequences”.