Death of teenager in Brighton linked to legal drug craze (From The Argus)

This is what happens when the government clamps down on drugs that have been proved to be at the very least safer than alcohol, it is a fact that last year more people died from horse riding than taking ecstasy, and even less than that as a result of cannabis, it's a sad fact of life that people will always find a way to get high if that's what they want to do and the more drugs/substances that are banned will only lead people to find other ways to get high that are not as safe at the traditional methods and unfortunately with the governments drug policy as it stands today, many more people will die from so called "legal highs", it is about time the government had a good hard and honest look at reforming the whole drugs policy, as what we have now just doesn't work.

This is what happens when the government clamps down on drugs that have been proved to be at the very least safer than alcohol, it is a fact that last year more people died from horse riding than taking ecstasy, and even less than that as a result of cannabis, it's a sad fact of life that people will always find a way to get high if that's what they want to do and the more drugs/substances that are banned will only lead people to find other ways to get high that are not as safe at the traditional methods and unfortunately with the governments drug policy as it stands today, many more people will die from so called "legal highs", it is about time the government had a good hard and honest look at reforming the whole drugs policy, as what we have now just doesn't work.

Why start blaming the Government? A tragic case, but legalising/banning/p
rescribing or anything else will not help.

This is a fourteen year old girl from Worthing (NOT the next house, the next street) in Brighton who has probably taken drugs. So what was she doing there? Mum and Dad know where she was?

She may well have been 'an angel', a 'shining light' or whatever else tends to be assigned to the unfortunate victim in such cases, but the fact is, she died from probable drug-abuse.

That comes down to the individual involved, and all the buck-passing and blame in the world cannot take that away. Let's take responsibilty for our own actions instead of searching for somebody else to carry the can.

The Good Driver wrote:
Why start blaming the Government? A tragic case, but legalising/banning/p

rescribing or anything else will not help.

This is a fourteen year old girl from Worthing (NOT the next house, the next street) in Brighton who has probably taken drugs. So what was she doing there? Mum and Dad know where she was?

She may well have been 'an angel', a 'shining light' or whatever else tends to be assigned to the unfortunate victim in such cases, but the fact is, she died from probable drug-abuse.

That comes down to the individual involved, and all the buck-passing and blame in the world cannot take that away. Let's take responsibilty for our own actions instead of searching for somebody else to carry the can.

but the fact of the matter is she most probably would never have taken the drug if it was illegal... A legal drug in many's eyes are just as 'ok' to binge on as alcohol. Giving something that brand is clearly not acceptable.

So tell me, what would your solution to the matter be? Those who die from in-educated minds just have to accept what they've done once their dead?

manchillin wrote:

The Good Driver wrote:
Why start blaming the Government? A tragic case, but legalising/banning/p


rescribing or anything else will not help.

This is a fourteen year old girl from Worthing (NOT the next house, the next street) in Brighton who has probably taken drugs. So what was she doing there? Mum and Dad know where she was?

She may well have been 'an angel', a 'shining light' or whatever else tends to be assigned to the unfortunate victim in such cases, but the fact is, she died from probable drug-abuse.

That comes down to the individual involved, and all the buck-passing and blame in the world cannot take that away. Let's take responsibilty for our own actions instead of searching for somebody else to carry the can.

but the fact of the matter is she most probably would never have taken the drug if it was illegal... A legal drug in many's eyes are just as 'ok' to binge on as alcohol. Giving something that brand is clearly not acceptable.

Other reports say she was on Ketamin as well, so hmm...

well as a 'kid' my self, I do understand and respect things like that, many don't but many do. everybody's doing it, there's no changing/stopping that we live in the 21st century, many are finding this new drug methadrone or 'meow meow' and becasue its legal its becoming as regular a thing as drinking, this problem never happened with such drugs as mdma and things because it was too powerful to binge on, and we knew that if we did... we were gonna balls up... it's a shame that such stories as these will soon start to become regular, but it seems to me that the old drugs need to be made legal and regulated... at least then there wouldn't be a need to find substitutes and easy way outs. If there are less deaths from Ectasy a year than there are from alcohol, whats stopping the government?

You can regulate or prohibite all day long but neither will fully address the issue of drugs abuse/missuse, call it what you will. Education - well yeah to a point but people will still take a chance even though they are aware of the possible outcome. As for 'old drugs' what is all that about? People have been abusing substances since day dot - glue, solvents etc. It's just whatever the trend is at the time.

The current drug laws are nonsense - prohibition just doesn't work. It means people buy illegal drugs and don't know what they contain or these legal alternatives... and still don't know what they contain. Demand is clearly not going away so surely we would be better off trying to control the supply in better ways than just banning everything and telling people to stop taking drugs.

It is a poor world if people, particularly youngsters have to resort to drugs for their enjoyment. It is so very sad and I am afraid I, like so many others do not know the answer to it.In my young days we had youth clubs etc and I can not remember anyone smoking or drinking for kicks. It was clubs most week nights, church on Sunday and then a walk to the coffee bar for a shot of caffeine.

Lie to your children about how "bad" some things are, and when they catch you out suddenly the really dangerous things don't seem so scary anymore.

FYI, there is no known lethal dosage for cannabis. Any death associated with cannabis was caused by some underlying cause, such as allergies, asthma, etc.

RIP young lady, another casualty in the so-called war on drugs.....

People need to realise that 14 year old kids are curious. whether as they get older they 'try' things or not, they are all curious.
I know people in their 20's who have never touched a drug (not including Alcohol) not even a cig, but they proberly have tried this mephedrone, known as miaow, i think 1 it's because it's huge at the moment, you can get it anywhere. 2 because it's legal.
I know people who argue with eachother because one might take cocaine or smoke cannibis and the other doesn't but i can guarantee they'll both have miaow at the wkend.
Its the same with the G drug on the gay scene. Its legal but a girl from brighton uni died from it.
Because drugs like cannibis, or mdma etc are illegal, drug dealers can sell these at whatever prices they like (no matter it's illegal, it'll always be on the market) and mix them with whatever substances they like. This miaow is no different apart from it's dirt cheap and you can get it anywhere. these legal drugs ARE more damaging than the illegals. And yes i think Alcohol should be illegal and certain old school drugs not.
Anyone watch bill hicks? he has some good points.

Problem is, our kids will always find a way of getting a cheap 'high' (used to be glue or sniffing aerosol cans).

Also, sadly, being kids, they ignore any warnings from us older, possibly wiser, folk because, well, they're kids and they don't think anything will ever happen to them.

KIDS and drugs don't mix, like kids and alcohol or sex. Their bodies are still developing and can't deal or make decisions in the same way as an adult.

This girl died of Methodrone, K and alcohol not methodrone in isolation.

Where was adult or parental supervision at this party ? Her parents presumably allowed to be there.

Teenage girl dies on drugs shocks society and media into the usual frenzy ever since Leah Betts years ago.
Adult drug user dies in Brighton, everyone says good riddance.

Hypocrites

Darwinian Filer yet again..

After all the decades of education, government drives and advertisements if people do NOT
know that drugs of ALL kinds are dangerous then on their heads be it.

No bleeding hearts, no wailing or gnashing of teeth. It’s not the drugs that killed it’s plain stupidity.

What a waste.

Why has methodrone taken off in the last 6 months ?
E dropped to a quid, but was full of crap so no one buys them anymore. Demand died off, so you look elsewhere. An legal plant variant on MDMA sprouted.
So you make that illegal, like GHB, Herbal highs and every other drug. Something new'll be there 10 minutes later.

If we, the people and government of Britain, knew then what we know now, we would probably have outlawed alcohol and tobacco. But we are where we are, hundreds of years later, so we tolerate alcohol and try to reduce its many detrimental effects. We are less tolerant of tobacco, and increasingly so.

The difficulty the Government faces with drugs that are currently illegal, is that by legalising them, they may be seen to be endorsing them as safe to use, which is not the case. Cannabis for example, in a few of its many forms, can cause psychotic episodes, and cause schizophrenia.
Should the Government allow or condone this?

Should the Government behave similarly for medicinal drugs as for recreational ones? 'Hey, there's a risk that it'll kill the patient, but what the hell, it's their choice to take it!' Again, I think not.

Despite the Government being accused of being nannyish, we still expect it to uphold our freedoms. These freedoms can be the freedom to do things (e.g. take drugs we choose), and they can be the freedom from things (e.g. not having drugs pushed upon the vulnerable). It's a fine balance.

As a parent of teenagers, I am pleased that the laws on drugs are as they are. They are broadly based on the advice of their advisory committee, even if on this recent occasion, the government is opposed to their advice. The current laws send a message of what the electorate thinks is acceptable. Don't agree? Elect a different goverment. If they all have more or less the same policy, then I guess that must be the covert will of the people.

Of course some people will break the law. That doesn't mean you HAVE to change it. People thieve, murder, and commit many other illegal acts. Should we relax those laws because people break them?

As far as this case goes, it is very sad. But I'm afraid that children will all do silly things. It's in the nature of growing up, that they want to experiment and test their own and the authorities' limits. Of course we parents are clueless as to what's going on. That's what children want. They want things that are theirs, where their parents aren't welcome. Again, that's part of growing up. The best we parents can do is give advice and support before the event, protect them from others and themselves, and pick up the pieces when we fail. Sad but true.

I think the moral of this story is quite simple - accidents happen, and sometimes they are fatal.
Kids drink, kids take drugs. I can't see it ever stopping. It has gone on all my life and I'm nearly 60. There were drugs being sold at my school in the mid 60s, and we certainly indulged in underage drinking.
I think the difference now is that it has become so extreme.
We drank alcohol, but although we occasionally got drunk, I don't recall one incidence of anyone ending up in hospital having their stomach pumped.
We smoked cannabis and took speed, but yet again I don't recall anyone being totally off their faces.
In fact, it was considered very uncool if you became totally monstered - and maybe that's what's gone wrong.
It now seems to be cool to get as 'off your face' as possible.
Maybe the lesson to be taught to young people is that moderation in everything is the way forward, rather than banning everything.
But I doubt they would listen to an 'old sod' like me!
I agree with 'oldskool_raver' - making everything illegal doesn't work. It hasn't worked for the last 50 years.

The anger, the pain, frustration and rage
That people go through in this day and age
An innocent life, cruelly taken today
Taken in such a horrible way.
Who would have known that from the start
the day would end with broken hearts
A void in the lives that will never be filled
The numbness, the pain, the bone shuddering chill.
A typical girl of fourteen years
Remembered daily with floods of tears
But remembered so fondly ,for her cheeky smile
Her panache, her elegance and her youthful style
In our hearts you will always stay
Remembered and loved day by day
Daughter, friend, cousin, niece
God bless you Gabbie, rest in peace

Stav

Alcohol is legal and look at the problems we have with it, so legalising is a flawed argument.
Cannabis destroys mental health in a substantial percentage of users, brings about chronic levels of depression often ending in suicide. It's not the passive substance the pro-drugs lobby would have us believe.

The cocktail of drugs now taken by many people also has a knock on effect. Most know the sides effects of a specific drug (many of which have been around for years), but do not know the side effects of taking two or three different drugs at one time and the added stress this puts on ones heart. At this point in time nothing is known about the short term or long term effects of drugs such as miaow, or what the side effects are if taken with other substances

Poor kid - Thank God I am not growing up in this era - so sad. What a total waste of life. We have all failed to help this generation they are lost to drugs, fashion, growing up too quick, and stupid violent computer games. At 14 I was still mucking around on my bike, dancing on a Friday evening being picked up by a parent and enjoying life- Where did that all go?

the simple point is, if you don't know what it is, don't take it! too many kids taking drugs nowadays, without knowledge of the consequences. as for the 'adult' in charge, what a waste of space they turned out to be. you have to be strong, and refuse to bow down to your so called friends taunting. i would rather lose those 'friends' than be dead.

Darling2 wrote:
Alcohol is legal and look at the problems we have with it, so legalising is a flawed argument. Cannabis destroys mental health in a substantial percentage of users, brings about chronic levels of depression often ending in suicide. It's not the passive substance the pro-drugs lobby would have us believe.

But banning hasn't worked - self evidently. Alcohol prohibition in the USA in the 20s didn't work - it just made the mafia rich.
I know all about what damage drugs can do - including alcohol - in fact let's put alcohol at the top of the list with regard to the damage it does. Far more lives are ruined by alcohol than all the other drugs put together.
But alcohol is legal..... you see how difficult it is? There is no easy, quick fix available.
Unless a government is prepared to double the size of the police force, and to double the number of prisons and then have a zero tolerance against illegal drugs with long prison sentences handed out to everyone caught, and proper life sentences for dealers, they are never going to win the battle.
And we all know they would rather spend the money on their own salaries, and keeping the chums in the banking sector in Rollers....

Everyone knows the harm alcohol causes, they still drink it. Because they can achieve an altered state of mind legally. People know the risks involved with taking illegal drugs, like cannabis and ecstacy, people still take them to achieve an altered state of mind but risk a prison sentence. They are never going to go away. It makes sense to legalise it so there are controls over what's in it! The kids don't want to risk a prison sentence but they still want to get high. Their options now seem to be legal plant food! Which has a stimulant effect. No one has a clue what the short or long term effects of this are, used alone or in combination with other legal or illegal substances. A lot of research has been carried out on the illegal drugs. Including the effects and risks involved when taking combinations of them. Ban alcohol and you get 70% proof moonshine. Keep all illegal drugs illegal and you get kids snorting plant food! Informed legal choices have got to be better for their health!

This would not have happened if MDMA was still available. It used to come over from Europe, then an ingredient was made illegal and it no longer exists. People knew how much to take and that the risks were as low as with pills. People start to look for an alternative when meow came around. None of my friends are interested, it acts as a massive muscle relaxant which is why you can lapse into cardiac arrest. For days after taking it you feel like your body is rejecting your own skin. It really comes down to the individual, I came to realise that with drugs now the risk out-ways the fun. But with children taking, they don't have the opportunity for hindsight. Nothing should be labelled a "legal high"; if you're getting high you're doing something abnormal to your body to feel different from reality.

I suggest parents and the police visit The Level in Brighton after school and see the number of school kids congregated there using drugs, drink and smoking.

stav wrote:
The anger, the pain, frustration and rage That people go through in this day and age An innocent life, cruelly taken today Taken in such a horrible way. Who would have known that from the start the day would end with broken hearts A void in the lives that will never be filled The numbness, the pain, the bone shuddering chill. A typical girl of fourteen years Remembered daily with floods of tears But remembered so fondly ,for her cheeky smile Her panache, her elegance and her youthful style In our hearts you will always stay Remembered and loved day by day Daughter, friend, cousin, niece God bless you Gabbie, rest in peace Stav

A beautiful post for a beautiful girl.
Rest in peace gabbie xxx

the postings today show how important drugs a policy is and how the existing policy is flawed.
I have for a number of years believed heroin should be prescribed to adicts as this would, significantly reduce crime, put the dealers out of business and allow for better treatment and monitoring, there is no currently available information from where this approach is being trialed and monitored to suggest it would increase addiction numbers.
I would not suggest for one minute leagalising ketamine, or cocaine etc
the problem we have today is of mixed messages from the government, health professionals and ageing hippies.

we should hang our heads in shame that people die in our society because we take a lax attitude to drugs of all kinds,
Philo Beddows statistically is right about horse riders, two of my daughters ride regually and occasionally to Hound at least they know the quality or lack off it with the nag as they own it, drugs are often cooked up and cut with everything and anything. I do not believe for one minute that Philo Beddows is suggesting class A drugs or indeed any other illegal drugs are "SAFE" to use but is trying to put the use of certain substances on a statically correct level especially when compared to alcohol.
this meow might not be "illegal" but what right minded person would let a 14 year old take it at their house, and what rightminded person would supply it, latest craze or not it is absolute stupidity.
mention ecstacy and the name leah betts springs to mind, infuture mention meow and gabi's name will always spring to mind, I hope her tragic death will save the lives of others and that children up and down the country will realise this dubiously legal meow is nothing but poison. Let not Gabi die in vane

this is ver sad and my heart goes out to her friends and family - but you all need to take a step back for a second.
Did any of you read the article? Despite the Argus inferring that Meow killed this poor girl, it says
'A post mortem into Gabi's death was inconclusive and Sussex Police are still awaiting toxicology results to find out whether drugs played a part in her death.'

this is ver sad and my heart goes out to her friends and family - but you all need to take a step back for a second.
Did any of you read the article? Despite the Argus inferring that Meow killed this poor girl, it says
'A post mortem into Gabi's death was inconclusive and Sussex Police are still awaiting toxicology results to find out whether drugs played a part in her death.'

Rostrum wrote:
Darwinian Filer yet again..

After all the decades of education, government drives and advertisements if people do NOT
know that drugs of ALL kinds are dangerous then on their heads be it.

No bleeding hearts, no wailing or gnashing of teeth. It’s not the drugs that killed it’s plain stupidity.

What a waste.

Harsh but absolutely correct, even if it might not be relevant in this case. There really is no excuse now for not knowing the dangers.

Darling2 wrote:
Alcohol is legal and look at the problems we have with it, so legalising is a flawed argument.
Cannabis destroys mental health in a substantial percentage of users, brings about chronic levels of depression often ending in suicide. It's not the passive substance the pro-drugs lobby would have us believe.

Any references from respected medical sources? Don't think so.

According to FRANK and the article above, this drug is illegal if sold or supplied for human consumption so I don't see where legality comes into it. Whoever engages in the activity of supplying or using this as a drug is, therefore, engaging in illegal activity so I don't understand why the police can do little about it. I will admit that I don't know loads about how the law works. Surely it should be down to respecting our bodies and not wanting to harm ourselves even when the law doesn't protect us from this type of harm. I understand that people like to experience an altered state of mind but at what cost to their health? Its a lottery. Some of the posts relating to poor Gabi, over the last few days, have been from people who seem to know exactly what occurred that terrible weekend and these people seem to be in no doubt as to whether Gabi took drugs that night and many other nights. Whether or not they caused her premature death is another matter. Whether they caused her death or not, I'm sure drugs didn't help. As a parent, I find it totally terrifying that children are playing this lottery. There may well be hundreds or thousands of others who take these drugs and live to tell the tale. However, they live to tell the tale not through good judgment but seemingly through nothing more than chance or luck. Its a lottery and any one of these experimenting invincible children could be next. I urge all children and teenagers to look at the devastation this has caused Gabi's family and friends and to ask themselves if they would like their own loved ones to be going through the same thing. If the answer is No, you don't want your family to be in this same situation, then keep well away from drugs and find other ways to amuse yourselves; for the sakes of your parents, families and friends if you can't do it through self respect and wanting to be healthy and at your best. Still thinking of Gabi's family and how no words will truly sum up the enormity of their loss.

Legalise. Regulate. Tax.

Eliminate the rubbish, the industrial solvents, the poisons and all the 'legal' highs that kill you. Eliminate the criminals from the supply chain. Eliminate crime from the demand side. Eliminate the strain on the health services. Stop the madness of the War on Drugs.

If I was to be honest, I wouldn't let my fourteen year old daughter go to a party unless I knew exactly what sort of party it was. Parents need to learn to say no

If I was to be honest, I wouldn't let my fourteen year old daughter go to a party unless I knew exactly what sort of party it was. Parents need to learn to say no

All these comments supporting narcotic use sickens me. Of course most if not all are from young and older readers who have no children of their own (pretty sure of that).

Alcohol is a drug that should be the only legal stimulant for getting a high! It is said alcohol is the biggest killer.......only to those who don't know how to be sensible with it! As a parent I will teach my kids to drink sensibly and with moderation beginning at home. But when they have their first hangover (which we have all had) that I hope will be the wake up call. Drinking can be a sociable and civilised event but only to those who have the good sense to know that.

Other drugs are an unknown and can be deadly because who knows what's in a pill or powder? That is why they all should be banned and young people should be educated to stay clear for their own safety.

Common sense in life is the key and to those who support all these substances being sold by the putrid slime on our streets I say this: If you want to eat it, sniff it or inject it this rubbish then go ahead and destroy yourselves because you have no idea how to really enjoy life to the full.

maxiboy_ wrote:
All these comments supporting narcotic use sickens me. Of course most if not all are from young and older readers who have no children of their own (pretty sure of that). Alcohol is a drug that should be the only legal stimulant for getting a high! It is said alcohol is the biggest killer.......only to those who don't know how to be sensible with it! As a parent I will teach my kids to drink sensibly and with moderation beginning at home. But when they have their first hangover (which we have all had) that I hope will be the wake up call. Drinking can be a sociable and civilised event but only to those who have the good sense to know that. Other drugs are an unknown and can be deadly because who knows what's in a pill or powder? That is why they all should be banned and young people should be educated to stay clear for their own safety. Common sense in life is the key and to those who support all these substances being sold by the putrid slime on our streets I say this: If you want to eat it, sniff it or inject it this rubbish then go ahead and destroy yourselves because you have no idea how to really enjoy life to the full.

Totally the wrong argument, and it based on your own bias and not on actual figures.

Alcohol is the biggest killer. Plenty of people die or get serious illnesses through drinking booze to excess. Compare that to the number of deaths directly related to taking ecstasy.

Other drugs are not "unknown". People have been taking opium for thousands of years... Cocaine used to be sold at Harrods. The drugs "problem" is because drugs are illegal. That means criminal gangs mix the nearly pure original drug product with all kinds of crap. Your question "who knows what is in a pill?" addresses exactly that.

Banning doesn't work. I really wonder sometimes if some people are just morons, or if they are just stupid. When drugs were legal, there was very little drugs-related crime. There were opium addicts, of course. But so what? Who the hell do you think you are that you can tell somebody else what they can do? Perhaps you haven't realised it yet, due to your denseness, that many drugs are illegal. It doesn't stop them being taken by large numbers of people. Approximately 250,000 people take ecstasy every week.

I don't support drugs being sold mixed up with crap. I would like to see cocaine and opium on the counter at Boots, supplied from a reputable dealer with known and consistent potency. People should be free to decide for themselves what they want to do, and not be told by moronic people who possess no knowledge, thought or imagination.

People should be free to decide for themselves what they want to do, and not be told by moronic people who possess no knowledge, thought or imagination?

And yet the other day you were saying how you believe in god. Well you certainly have an imagination, i'll give you that. I asked for my comments to be deleted as i could see this thread was being hijacked, but this cannot go without pulling you up about it. A girl died! Do you not have any respect at all except for yourself? Just leave it and pontificate elsewhere please.

UglyAmerican wrote:

Darling2 wrote:
Alcohol is legal and look at the problems we have with it, so legalising is a flawed argument.
Cannabis destroys mental health in a substantial percentage of users, brings about chronic levels of depression often ending in suicide. It's not the passive substance the pro-drugs lobby would have us believe.

Any references from respected medical sources? Don't think so.

It has been well documented since the early 1980's. Cannabis produces a chemical imbalance in the brain that the body alone cannot rectify, often requiring sectioning under the mental health act for the persons own wellbeing at worst and a course of anti-depressants at best. It is an attrocious drug with far reaching and devastating consequences producing panic attacks at one end of the scale to absolute suicidal despair at the other.
But hey, be dumb, it's cool, use it.

bibble wrote:

maxiboy_ wrote:
All these comments supporting narcotic use sickens me. Of course most if not all are from young and older readers who have no children of their own (pretty sure of that). Alcohol is a drug that should be the only legal stimulant for getting a high! It is said alcohol is the biggest killer.......only to those who don't know how to be sensible with it! As a parent I will teach my kids to drink sensibly and with moderation beginning at home. But when they have their first hangover (which we have all had) that I hope will be the wake up call. Drinking can be a sociable and civilised event but only to those who have the good sense to know that. Other drugs are an unknown and can be deadly because who knows what's in a pill or powder? That is why they all should be banned and young people should be educated to stay clear for their own safety. Common sense in life is the key and to those who support all these substances being sold by the putrid slime on our streets I say this: If you want to eat it, sniff it or inject it this rubbish then go ahead and destroy yourselves because you have no idea how to really enjoy life to the full.

Totally the wrong argument, and it based on your own bias and not on actual figures.

Alcohol is the biggest killer. Plenty of people die or get serious illnesses through drinking booze to excess. Compare that to the number of deaths directly related to taking ecstasy.

Other drugs are not "unknown". People have been taking opium for thousands of years... Cocaine used to be sold at Harrods. The drugs "problem" is because drugs are illegal. That means criminal gangs mix the nearly pure original drug product with all kinds of crap. Your question "who knows what is in a pill?" addresses exactly that.

Banning doesn't work. I really wonder sometimes if some people are just morons, or if they are just stupid. When drugs were legal, there was very little drugs-related crime. There were opium addicts, of course. But so what? Who the hell do you think you are that you can tell somebody else what they can do? Perhaps you haven't realised it yet, due to your denseness, that many drugs are illegal. It doesn't stop them being taken by large numbers of people. Approximately 250,000 people take ecstasy every week.

I don't support drugs being sold mixed up with crap. I would like to see cocaine and opium on the counter at Boots, supplied from a reputable dealer with known and consistent potency. People should be free to decide for themselves what they want to do, and not be told by moronic people who possess no knowledge, thought or imagination.

When you wish to argue against another opinion that is healthy. Making insulting comments is a different matter. It is a measure of intellect. Yours is clearly on the low scale as a result.

As someone who supports the selling and taking of banned narcotics it is most likely that you are a user. I frankly don't care if you cut your life short by using these substances but I do care about my kids and other children who get offered this poison in schools and on the street. This is the core of the argument.

Readers here might come to the conclusion that you may be a narcotics seller since you visit Brighton from London regularly!

Darling2 wrote:

UglyAmerican wrote:

Darling2 wrote: Alcohol is legal and look at the problems we have with it, so legalising is a flawed argument. Cannabis destroys mental health in a substantial percentage of users, brings about chronic levels of depression often ending in suicide. It's not the passive substance the pro-drugs lobby would have us believe.

Any references from respected medical sources? Don't think so.

It has been well documented since the early 1980's. Cannabis produces a chemical imbalance in the brain that the body alone cannot rectify, often requiring sectioning under the mental health act for the persons own wellbeing at worst and a course of anti-depressants at best. It is an attrocious drug with far reaching and devastating consequences producing panic attacks at one end of the scale to absolute suicidal despair at the other. But hey, be dumb, it's cool, use it.

What is well documented, is that is that in a small percentage of heavy cannabis users, it can cause serious mental health problems.
What is less publicised, is that those people probably already had a mental health problem that the drug made much worse.
Most people who smoke cannabis have no lasting ill effects, and to suggest they do is incorrect.
I am not a cannabis user, but I don't like ill informed statements being allowed to stand without challenge.

Darling2 wrote:

UglyAmerican wrote:

Darling2 wrote:
Alcohol is legal and look at the problems we have with it, so legalising is a flawed argument.
Cannabis destroys mental health in a substantial percentage of users, brings about chronic levels of depression often ending in suicide. It's not the passive substance the pro-drugs lobby would have us believe.

Any references from respected medical sources? Don't think so.

It has been well documented since the early 1980's. Cannabis produces a chemical imbalance in the brain that the body alone cannot rectify, often requiring sectioning under the mental health act for the persons own wellbeing at worst and a course of anti-depressants at best. It is an attrocious drug with far reaching and devastating consequences producing panic attacks at one end of the scale to absolute suicidal despair at the other.
But hey, be dumb, it's cool, use it.

The effects you are describing sound just like those of alcohol as well, so perhaps we should ban that as well, a very small number of people will have a disposition towards mental illness and that maybe triggered by anything, I know a person that gets depressed if they can't get enough coffee (withdrawal symptoms from a drug, caffeine) I also know people that smoke/eat cannabis and they are perfectly normal people, I don't do any drugs or drink alcohol but from what I have seen, and trust me I have seen a lot, if I had to do one or the other it would definitely cannabis, I would sat as far away as possible from alcohol.

Drug laws, have nothing whatsoever to do with this girl's death, don't be so naive.

The current system is wrong, and isn't working.
When in law, something is made a criminal offence, the main reason for this is for it to be a detterent. i.e. a life sentence for murder, and so on. The result of this is that public opinion thinks that murder is wrong, and statistically very few people commit that crime.
But what if laws are passed that criminalise that activities of hundreds of thousands of otherwise normal people? And these people show no sign of stopping their criminal activity, even though laws have been in place for decades?
This is where where we are with our anti drug laws.
And then we have the anomaly that the most dangerous drug of all - alcohol - is legal.
There needs to be a total rethink about what we, as a society, want to achieve.
The anti drug laws have never worked, because too large a percentage of the population rountinely break them.

If we could have a lifetime wish and one dream that could come true. We would pray to God with all
ourhearts just to see and speak to you. A thousand words won’t bring you back, we know because
we’ve tried. Neither will a million tears, we know because we’ve cried. You’ve left behind our
broken hearts and precious memories too. But we’ve never wanted memories, we only wanted you...RIP pickles, missing you forever, loving you for an eternity xxxxxx

I would like to remind you all that the cause of death is yet to be confirmed, yet you are assuming it was drugs and condemn her and her family, without knowing the facts behind the assumptions. Gabi was a beautiful, happy and confident girl with so much to look forward to, and will be missed by many, who's lives she has touched. MAy she rest in peace

How ever I think that the assumptions of drugs has raised a very interesting debate, and raised an awareness. We all have different opinions but surely the only way to resolve issues is working together, not against.

A girl has died - it is sad.

However to make statements like "Children as young as 11 are becoming hooked on a legal drug ..." without any evidence to backk it the statement makes it simples ascertain bordering on scaremongering - poor reporting standards @ The Argus strike again. PS I'd never heard of mephodrone before reading about it in The Argus - have tried it, like it and will do so again. Everything in moderation!!

Stephanie Price wrote:
I would like to remind you all that the cause of death is yet to be confirmed, yet you are assuming it was drugs and condemn her and her family, without knowing the facts behind the assumptions. Gabi was a beautiful, happy and confident girl with so much to look forward to, and will be missed by many, who's lives she has touched. MAy she rest in peace How ever I think that the assumptions of drugs has raised a very interesting debate, and raised an awareness. We all have different opinions but surely the only way to resolve issues is working together, not against.

My deepest sympathies go to her family and everyone that knew her. In my opinion the people that are condemning her and her family are extremely naive and blinkered as to what goes on in todays society. Saying that her parents should have known where she was, is a ridiculous statement. Unless you are with your child 24 hours a day you cannot truely know what they are up to. I know that when I was 14, I went to parties when my mum thought I was going to a sleep over. If her death is related to drugs, anyone that condemns her for doing what thousands of kids do on the weekend is again foolish and they need to step into the real world.
If her death wasn't drug related, the speculation has made me aware of a danger I'd never even knew existed. I know there will never be anything to bring comfort to you or her family and friends over what's happened but now there is at least one parent who is looking into the dangers of Mephedrone and the information that I learn will be passed down to my kids, now that I am aware of it. You are right when you say we should be working together. My thoughts are with you all.

this drug should be made illegall firstly, and secondly , i have a 13 yr old daughter and she will not be going to house parties etc, she asks about a under 18s club in worthing, i say no.. shes too young for that kind of scene. we are responsiable for educating our children and so are the schools... but i tried things when i was younger.. didnt we all. young Gabi shouldnt have died, her poor parents probably believed she wouldnt touch drugs.. as people have said dont let her die in vain .. lets report any scum supplying drugs and look after our children .. what about youth clubs

Stephanie Price wrote:
I would like to remind you all that the cause of death is yet to be confirmed, yet you are assuming it was drugs and condemn her and her family, without knowing the facts behind the assumptions. Gabi was a beautiful, happy and confident girl with so much to look forward to, and will be missed by many, who's lives she has touched. MAy she rest in peace How ever I think that the assumptions of drugs has raised a very interesting debate, and raised an awareness. We all have different opinions but surely the only way to resolve issues is working together, not against.

Stephanie, like you, I think that Gabi's tragic death has started an interesting debate in this column.
I'm not one of those who blame her parents, and would never dream of doing so in these terrible circumstances.
Please pass my condolences to her family.

Darling2 wrote:

UglyAmerican wrote:

Darling2 wrote:
Alcohol is legal and look at the problems we have with it, so legalising is a flawed argument.
Cannabis destroys mental health in a substantial percentage of users, brings about chronic levels of depression often ending in suicide. It's not the passive substance the pro-drugs lobby would have us believe.

Any references from respected medical sources? Don't think so.

It has been well documented since the early 1980's. Cannabis produces a chemical imbalance in the brain that the body alone cannot rectify, often requiring sectioning under the mental health act for the persons own wellbeing at worst and a course of anti-depressants at best. It is an attrocious drug with far reaching and devastating consequences producing panic attacks at one end of the scale to absolute suicidal despair at the other.
But hey, be dumb, it's cool, use it.

Again...sources? UFO sightings have been well documented since before the '80s, and Tom Cruise would have us believe that there is a plethora of material supporting the existence of Xenu. Neither give me cause to believe in that lot of rubbish either.

Someone has taken the time above to state part of my case regarding the application of this description to alcohol. I'd take it a step further and say that if pot causes depression, then we should be looking at daily reports of mass suicide, booming sales of Prozac, etc., etc., etc.

Hell, cake causes depression by making people fat and ruining their self esteem.

The Good Driver wrote:
Why start blaming the Government? A tragic case, but legalising/banning/p rescribing or anything else will not help. This is a fourteen year old girl from Worthing (NOT the next house, the next street) in Brighton who has probably taken drugs. So what was she doing there? Mum and Dad know where she was? She may well have been 'an angel', a 'shining light' or whatever else tends to be assigned to the unfortunate victim in such cases, but the fact is, she died from probable drug-abuse. That comes down to the individual involved, and all the buck-passing and blame in the world cannot take that away. Let's take responsibilty for our own actions instead of searching for somebody else to carry the can.

I'm sorry but although you make good points, as a friend of the family of Gabi I think you are being hugely disrespectful with your ....
'So what was she doing there? Mum and Dad know where she was?

She may well have been 'an angel', a 'shining light' or whatever else tends to be assigned to the unfortunate victim in such cases'

First of all she was probably there because she wanted to go out and have some fun with some mates for all anyone knows it could of been completely innocent. As for did her mum and dad know where she was? what are parents supposed to do keep there children under lock and key to keep them from making any mistakes of there own?! did you yourself not make any when you were younger? and the reference to her family calling her an angel and a shining light it is what in the eyes of her grieving family see her and knew her for, who are you too say that she was not and this was an experiment she chose to join in with her friends . Anyone who has lost a friend or a relative wants to believe that person was perfect it is part of the grieving process. Whether it was a drug related death (which everyone needs to remember it may not be) you cannot slate someone who had love for someone who passed away! its stupidly disrespectful and if i was a close member of family and had read your comments I would be extremely disgusted. Taking responsibility is something you learn as you grow this girl was 14 years old naive (even if she did not believe it). Brighton and Hove has long had a drug abuse problem with the under 18s but us 'adults' tend to ignore such things and pretend everything is rosy, only when such tragic circumstances as these arise does it get highlighted enough to shock people. Children when i was at school were smoking cannabis from the age of 11/12. Do not use Gabis death as a way to vent your feelings on other deaths. At the end of the day she was supplied by an adult and took them thinking she was one and last but not least do not disrespect her families thoughts on her as an adult you should know better.

bibble wrote:

maxiboy_ wrote: All these comments supporting narcotic use sickens me. Of course most if not all are from young and older readers who have no children of their own (pretty sure of that). Alcohol is a drug that should be the only legal stimulant for getting a high! It is said alcohol is the biggest killer.......only to those who don't know how to be sensible with it! As a parent I will teach my kids to drink sensibly and with moderation beginning at home. But when they have their first hangover (which we have all had) that I hope will be the wake up call. Drinking can be a sociable and civilised event but only to those who have the good sense to know that. Other drugs are an unknown and can be deadly because who knows what's in a pill or powder? That is why they all should be banned and young people should be educated to stay clear for their own safety. Common sense in life is the key and to those who support all these substances being sold by the putrid slime on our streets I say this: If you want to eat it, sniff it or inject it this rubbish then go ahead and destroy yourselves because you have no idea how to really enjoy life to the full.

Totally the wrong argument, and it based on your own bias and not on actual figures. Alcohol is the biggest killer. Plenty of people die or get serious illnesses through drinking booze to excess. Compare that to the number of deaths directly related to taking ecstasy. Other drugs are not "unknown". People have been taking opium for thousands of years... Cocaine used to be sold at Harrods. The drugs "problem" is because drugs are illegal. That means criminal gangs mix the nearly pure original drug product with all kinds of crap. Your question "who knows what is in a pill?" addresses exactly that. Banning doesn't work. I really wonder sometimes if some people are just morons, or if they are just stupid. When drugs were legal, there was very little drugs-related crime. There were opium addicts, of course. But so what? Who the hell do you think you are that you can tell somebody else what they can do? Perhaps you haven't realised it yet, due to your denseness, that many drugs are illegal. It doesn't stop them being taken by large numbers of people. Approximately 250,000 people take ecstasy every week. I don't support drugs being sold mixed up with crap. I would like to see cocaine and opium on the counter at Boots, supplied from a reputable dealer with known and consistent potency. People should be free to decide for themselves what they want to do, and not be told by moronic people who possess no knowledge, thought or imagination.

"Alcohol is the biggest killer. Plenty of people die or get serious illnesses through drinking booze to excess. Compare that to the number of deaths directly related to taking ecstasy.",that's because more people drink than take ecstasy.I can't see why you wouldn't know that?"Approximately 250,000 people take ecstasy every week.",how do you know?Also,the more people do it,the more ok it becomes?"

Bibble,"People have been taking opium for thousands of years...",don't you mean,idiots have been have been taking Opium for thousands of years?"Cocaine used to be sold at Harrods.",so they should start selling it again?"The drugs "problem" is because drugs are illegal.",but the problems created with alcohol is because it is legal? That means criminal gangs mix the nearly pure original drug product with all kinds of crap.eh,it's not the filler in Heroin that kills addicts,it's Heroin!

Parents can only do so much. Whether some on is 14 or 40, it's their choice to partake in activities such as getting high, smoking etc..

As for legalising drugs, as some one rightly said, Alcohol is legal and people stil abuse it.

Personally, I find if you have to get wasted/high at a party, pub etc.. then your nights out must really boring.

The sad thing about this is that despite campaigns, war on drugs, nothing changes, People will always make mistakes (be it more than once!). Stupidty is humanities biggest killer.

Voice of Unreason wrote:

Darling2 wrote:

UglyAmerican wrote:

Darling2 wrote: Alcohol is legal and look at the problems we have with it, so legalising is a flawed argument. Cannabis destroys mental health in a substantial percentage of users, brings about chronic levels of depression often ending in suicide. It's not the passive substance the pro-drugs lobby would have us believe.

Any references from respected medical sources? Don't think so.

It has been well documented since the early 1980's. Cannabis produces a chemical imbalance in the brain that the body alone cannot rectify, often requiring sectioning under the mental health act for the persons own wellbeing at worst and a course of anti-depressants at best. It is an attrocious drug with far reaching and devastating consequences producing panic attacks at one end of the scale to absolute suicidal despair at the other. But hey, be dumb, it's cool, use it.

What is well documented, is that is that in a small percentage of heavy cannabis users, it can cause serious mental health problems. What is less publicised, is that those people probably already had a mental health problem that the drug made much worse. Most people who smoke cannabis have no lasting ill effects, and to suggest they do is incorrect. I am not a cannabis user, but I don't like ill informed statements being allowed to stand without challenge.

Darling 2.The 'chemical inbalance in the brain' argument doesn't hold because there is not now,and never has been a scientific/clinical test to prove that this actually occurs.Ask any psychiatrist/doctor/
mental health professional.You'll have them umming and arring before rapidly changing the subject.

This is so sad, the loss of such a young life my heart goes out to her family and friends.
What is the perfect perant? who knows, we can only do our best.
I have a son of 21, he talks to me about everything, he has told me he takes drugs. He knows that I don't approve, but it is his life at that age, and it would break my heart if this were to happen to him.
At the age of 18/19 he asked if he could have a tattoo, I said it is your life if you want it, have but think for two weeks first and look around, two weeks went by, and he said I don't want one now, I was so happy to hear this news.
The same with the drugs, he has stopped.
The point of this post is when you tell your child he/she can't do, they will do.

I've been taking various 'illegal' drugs for over 25 yrs (humans have been taking them for millennia). Mostly cannabis which I smoke pretty much every day. I have also taken 'E' loads of times (back in the day), mushrooms and acid on a number of occasions, cocaine once or twice a year and various other synthetic drugs. During this time I have managed to run several successful businesses and currently employ over 25 staff in a thriving local company.
I always took a cautious attitude to drug taking while my some friends took risks. Most of them are dead now, mainly through heroin (which I have never had and don't intend to try). My upbringing helped me to have a responsible attitude to drugs. My (single parent & lesbian!) mother made sure I could talk to her about these issues and warned me to be careful but did not try to scare me. This made me respect drugs and not abuse them. What we need is education not scaremongering and somehow get the drug business out of the hands of gangsters. I'm not suggesting the government take control because they will make more of a mess of it. Don't know what the answer is but I'm gonna keep on puffing and the only way I'll stop is when i want to, not when the powers that be decide (I've been arrested numerous times for supply/possession back in the 80's & 90's).

A good first step would be to let smokers grow a few plants for their own consumption, at a stroke you've eliminated several drug gangs.

brightonparty wrote:
I've been taking various 'illegal' drugs for over 25 yrs (humans have been taking them for millennia). Mostly cannabis which I smoke pretty much every day. I have also taken 'E' loads of times (back in the day), mushrooms and acid on a number of occasions, cocaine once or twice a year and various other synthetic drugs. During this time I have managed to run several successful businesses and currently employ over 25 staff in a thriving local company. I always took a cautious attitude to drug taking while my some friends took risks. Most of them are dead now, mainly through heroin (which I have never had and don't intend to try). My upbringing helped me to have a responsible attitude to drugs. My (single parent & lesbian!) mother made sure I could talk to her about these issues and warned me to be careful but did not try to scare me. This made me respect drugs and not abuse them. What we need is education not scaremongering and somehow get the drug business out of the hands of gangsters. I'm not suggesting the government take control because they will make more of a mess of it. Don't know what the answer is but I'm gonna keep on puffing and the only way I'll stop is when i want to, not when the powers that be decide (I've been arrested numerous times for supply/possession back in the 80's & 90's). A good first step would be to let smokers grow a few plants for their own consumption, at a stroke you've eliminated several drug gangs.

If you're ever on a bus being driven by someone who's been on a two day superskunk bender,good luck.