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How easy is it for young people to get drugs this festival season?

10 July 2019

An increase in the rate of drug-related deaths in Scotland – now the highest in the EU – has led the Scottish government to appoint a drugs tsar in an effort to tackle the problem.

The alarming news inspired Mornings with Kaye Adams to ask listeners for their stories about Scotland’s drug problem. A number of younger callers gave very frank accounts of how prevalent drugs are in their lives.

‘Everyone has a route to drugs’

Molly phoned in to the programme and shared her reasons for using drugs.

“It’s at every party that you go to and it’s so much easier to get hold of than alcohol. Everyone has a route to it or knows someone who can get you some.

“People have it in school — and that’s not in a deprived area: that’s in a perfectly normal middle-class school.”

Testing drugs at festivals

The charity The Loop test festival-goers’ drugs to ensure they’re safe to take. Issues with the drugs can range from them being more potent than usual to their manufacture from harmful ingredients, including pesticide and concrete. (From 2017)

A mother’s plea for wider testing of festival drugs

'Just in case I never see you again'

Safety group to help people test drugs at festivals

A young person talks about their experience with drugs

Jade reflects honestly about her experience with drugs. (From 2014)

‘The Class A Student’

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