Warn Your Teens About This

[RubyFakeNails]

Warning DM Link although story is also available on other news sites from what I've seen.

This story has brought up a memory for me. When I was in my late teens a friend died from taking what she thought was ecstasy but turned out to be a mix of all sorts. Ridiculous mistake really, we were all taking whatever then she just got unlucky. Obviously we hope our children aren't taking drugs but as I'm sure most people remember your parents weren't always aware what you got up to and I don't doubt the same can be said for our DCs now.

Its so horrible that a beautiful, happy young girl who was only starting out has died without even choosing to take the risk herself.

So I wanted to say, do warn your teens about these pink pills, just incase.

Thanks for this. You are quite right that we trust them but... they are still only kids & aren't looking at it from our perspective.

If teens are 'all taking whatever' (and I don't agree that it's a given) ... what's the point in warning them about a particular pill? Why are they going to take that any more seriously?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-18310110 more info on the pink pills.

"what's the point in warning them about a particular pill"

Because unlike other pills about, this one has been proven to cause a reaction that may be fatal, that message needs tobe put across.

I am in Liverpool and it is considered a joke by some, to spike drinks. My DD was spiked at Christmas ,i had warned her and she is 'street smart' but stupidly put her drinkdown to have a keyring photo taken. It was a lad in their group that had latched on to them that did it. She ended up in hospital.

The people giving out/selling the drugs are only teens themselves.

What are they? What do they do? The BBC article says it is a different drug to E but doesn't say what it does.

"The pills are the same size and shape as an ecstasy tablet but are often pink instead of white and usually have the letter ?M? on them, although the initials may vary."

"The drug in the pill is actually an amphetamine known as paramethoxyamphetamine or PMA"

It is a Class A drug which at best causes all sorts of extreme reactions from muscle spasms (including the heart) to death.

Everyone needs to be alert to their drinks being spiked. I know someone in their 30's who's drink was spiked by another adult, she believes, apparently as a joke. The joke went a bit wrong, and she collapsed, totally paralysed, but still conscious.

This has been a big problem in Liverpool since the end of last year.

My DD wouldn't have been alive if it wasn't for the actions of the Doorman, people stepped over her thinking that she was drunk, she was stopping breathing.

Rose was local to us and my DD knew her, hopefully her death will help to get the message out that spiking someone's drink, isn't funny.

If anyone is now caught handling these 'M's they should recieve the highest sentence possible, they could be handing out a death sentence.

Birds, that's terrifying for you and your DD. I hope she is ok now?

She's fine, but what's going on in the city centre is putting everyone off from going out.

The lad who did it, still thinks that it was nothing to get upset over.

Could he not have been arrested for assault at least? That might change his mind somewhat! Unbearably sad to think that other people could go through something similar and worse just because a few idiots think it's a "bit of fun"

I'm not sure how someone can be spiked with a pill a) doesn't disolve b) tastes utterly rancid and c) is highly visable.

Most people spiked in clubs have been spiked with gHb or similar, or rohypno as they are both liquid and colour/tasteless

The people selling these pills are scum but I would imagine the poor girl took it willingly.

Methe - have you never heard of orange juice? Low level lighting? coloured drinks? All these could help disguise the visibility of a pill. As for the taste, once you've had some alcohol, your taste buds are noticeably diminished in sensitivity - as anyone who has drunk cheap wine can attest - it becomes far more drinkable after the 2nd glass!

All very true but seriously, they taste fucking disgusting. I suppose if you were shitfaced you might not notice.

Tbh, I am sceptical about the drink spiking story (it's out of the same stable as "no mum, those Marlboro in my pocket aren't mine- I'm looking after them for a friend") BUT it's still a very sad loss of life.

I guess it's a case of how you broach it with teenagers without sending mixed messages- "Um, don't take drugs, but if you do, don't take these ones"

I am not going to discuss Rose because it would be insensitive, but drink spiking happens, even to adults.

Not all of us don't have the sort of relationship with our children were they wouldn't say, that they have tried drugs and it has backfired.

"I suppose if you were shitfaced you might not notice"

Kids haven't got the experience to pick up a substance being in their drinks, especially if they are trying bombs and shots for the first time. Some of the drinks in clubs, especially cheap vodka has a bitter edge to it.

I think that you can have honest enough conversations with teens about how to do things in a safe manner, like using condoms. If you live in a place like Liverpool you know that wherever your kids go there is going to be drugs. You have got to make them aware and be open minded.

Just to add that these pills had just caused a few deaths as Liverpool was having quite a few big party nights, were people would be doing drugs, so the police felt that they had to put the warning out.

It wasn't just for teens, but adults making choices, also. These pills have originated from Merseyside, apparently, i know that they have been available for a while.

They don't dissolve but they can be crushed. Yes, they're disgusting, but certain drinks are probably strong enough to mask the taste. Jack Daniels, for example. You ain't gonna taste nothing odd if it's mixed in with Jack Daniels.

I messed around with drugs in my teens and when I had a bad reaction to them, I told my mum, so she would trust me if I told her I'd been spiked.

Somehow I managed to hide this thread, but it seems like the points I would have made have already been covered.

Birds your poor DD! I think I'd be out with my axe. What a stupid thing of him to do.

For me the point of warning them about this specific pill is, I don't tell my children drugs will kill them (I know friends of mine who say things like this, e.g if you take ecstasy, YOU WILL DIE), thats not what I believe. I try and talk to them from experience and facts I know. I usually phrase it as

1. Drugs don't come with an ingredients list, so while whatever drug it is may not kill/harm you instantly the substances that its cut with can.
2. The majority of the risk, in my opinion, related to drug use is the lack of control and judgment. Ecstasy on its own is relatively safe (think more people die horse riding each year?) but the actions people take, most obvious example Leah Betts, can be fatal.
3. Its the descent into drug use, and becoming a drug addict where the effects become so detrimental and often irreversible.

For my family I find it easy to talk about because DH and I feel we came off really lightly, especially compared to some of our friends, considering our drug use so we have examples of friends who it all went wrong for that we can use.

In terms of discussing the topic but not glamorising it, I'm not really sure, I guess each to their own, I broached it as:

"We've had the drugs talks. Mummy doesn't know or expect to know everything you get up to, so thats not the issue I'm trying to raise. I'm bringing this subject to you as factual information to help influence your decisions"

I see it as I've talked about drugs with them many times, so to me its not that conversation. Its a no judgment conversation, its a I feel this is information you may at some point need, although you equally may not, here it is, end of discussion. I just gave them a printout of the news story and some other google results on the matter.