Drugs 'easy to buy as sweets' says mum (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Drugs 'easy to buy as sweets' says mum

8:42am Tuesday 27th May 2008 in Swindon By Jeremy Grimaldi

A HEARTBROKEN mum whose son died of an overdose has said it is as easy to buy drugs in Swindon as a bag of sweets'.

Scott Rose, pictured, died of a heroin overdose in 2006.

His mum Julie Ann Rose, 48, a mortgage advisor from Covingham, says since her son's death she has seen that Swindon is in the grip of a "raging drug culture''.

The comments came after an inquest into her son's death.

She said people in Swindon do not appreciate that the teenagers using heroin, crack and cocaine are not just junkies, they are also educated young people from good families who have been lured into the drug culture.

"Scott's problem was able to grow partially because I didn't see the warning signs," she said.

"I thought the problem was far away from our family.

"When Scott first got into it in his early twenties you didn't see the druggies on the streets like you do nowadays.

"That has exploded and now I can spot one a mile away.

"More and more teenagers are out there buying drugs, especially cocaine, that they buy like they pick up a bag of sweets.

"And the warning signs are not being seen by parents.

"It is a real problem here in Swindon and around the UK, it's not acceptable.

"Scott was a fine young man with great potential as a skilled carpenter.

"He worked hard for four years at Swindon College and left with his City and Guilds qualifications.

"He worked on many projects but sadly fell into a world of drugs with people he associated with.

"From that point on his life spiralled out of control, doing anything to get money to buy drugs day-to-day."

She added that if her son's mistakes and experiences can help one other person get off heroin then his death would not have been in vain.

"The damage that drugs do to individuals and their families is mind blowing," she said.

"I would call for harder penalties for drug dealers, they are quite simply mass murderers.

"We are simply far too soft on these people.

"To all you young people out there and anyone who is mixed up in this horror, my message is this: drugs are not cool, they are not acceptable, they will make your life a misery, if not kill you, with either mental problems or very serious infections.

"Scott is not with us and that is unbearable.

"So please stay away, just say no, and keep saying no."

The coroner at Scott's inquest last week found that the 28-year-old died from his dependence on drugs after failing to kick his habit at two rehabilitation clinics in Hastings and Holland.