The drug which killed Northallerton teenager Leah Heyes can be bought for just £2,50, North Yorkshire’s police, fire and commissioner told a drugs summit this week.
Fifteen-year-old Lead died in May this year in the town’s Applegarth car park.
She had taken MDMA, also known as ecstasy.
The commission, Julia Mulligan, was speaking at an event at the force’s Northallerton headquarters attended by the emergency services and other agencies.
At the event, she told the audience that the county had a “huge problem with drugs” and she promised action to tackle the problem.
During her opening speech, Mrs Mulligan said: “You will all be acutely aware that on Saturday 11th May, Leah Hayes tragically lost her life in the Applegarth car park, less than a mile away from where we are now.
“Leah’s death shocked me, shocked our community, and of course those who responded to the situation that night and continue to be involved with investigating her death.
“Most of all, as a mum of two teenage girls, I can’t imagine how unspeakably awful this has been and must continue to be for her mum, Kerry.
“Leah died from an adverse reaction to a minuscule amount of MDNA – ecstasy, which I’ve subsequently found out typically costs just £2.50.
“Two pounds fifty for a beautiful young girl’s life.
“So I wanted us to meet, against this backdrop, to reflect and discuss whether or not we are really doing everything we can to tackle drugs here in North Yorkshire.”
At the event she set out some of the findings of a snapshot survey taken over the previous weekend.
Nearly 2,000 members of the public responded to the survey, run by the commissioner’s office.
Among the results:
- 84% of those who took part say they are more worried about drugs in their local area than 12 months ago – a third a lot more worried, a half more worried.
- 66% of those taking part are aware of people dealing drugs in their local and 35% have seen it actually happening in the last month.
- 78% of all respondents are aware of people taking drugs in their local area and 59% have seen/smelt/found evidence in the last month.
- Of those who had seen dealing or taking, over half felt angry, followed by unsafe and annoyed.
- While, 79% didn’t report the dealing and 85% didn’t report seeing/finding evidence of drug taking.
Mrs Mulligan added: “North Yorkshire has a problem with drugs. It’s important we say that because we can’t deal with the problem before we admit there is one.
“Our snapshot survey does not claim to be scientific, but it does show there are real fears and real concerns that we need to address.
“The vast majority of people who were concerned enough to take part are more worried about drugs than they were last year, with one in three having seen drug dealing in their community within the last month.
“In my view, one of the most troubling results is another finding which shows parents, in particular those of young men, who are concerned about their child being drawn into drugs.
Mrs Mulligan said drugs were pretty much the first thing that people want to talk about at the surgeries she holds.
“A couple of weeks ago, in Harrogate, I attended a meeting organised by a fantastic member of her local community, which over 200 people attended. The queue went out of the door, past the fish and chip shop. Their number one concern was anti-social behaviour and drugs.
“I have visited schools, where teachers have followed me into the ladies to tell me about what’s going on in their schools and how concerned they are.
“I have met leaders of community groups who are patrolling car parks, taking photographs and noting number plates, to gather evidence and intelligence for the local police.
“And I have spoken to young people.
“Here’s what one – aged sixteen – told me.”
The commissioner said the teenager told her that drugs were at every single party.
“The drugs of choice were Calvin Klein, a mix of coke and ketamine, Diz – spelt with one z, I was told – which is MDNA, blue punisher – a mix of MDNA and ket, Nos, or laughing gas, straight from the canister – which may not be illegal but that can cause real harm
“They take it because they are stressed, experimenting and out for a good time. They don’t think anything will happen to them and there are no consequences.
“It’s mostly the boys who deal – from “nice families, quite rich actually”. They use their snap accounts, selling blue punisher. And it’s cheaper and easier to get hold of than alcohol.
“So what would help them stop? Certainly not an ‘old policeman’ telling them what to do. What they need is something graphic and hard hitting. Something to make you cry —£2.50.”
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