It followed a weekend in the lives of a group of twenty something's living in Leeds, documenting the rise of party drugs such as mephedrone (m-cat, meow meow), ketamine and GHB
These so called 'legal highs' were banned in 2010
Up until they were widely available in 'head shops'
These drugs fell through a legal loophole
They weren't advertised or packaged under their chemical names and were sold as things such as bath salts or plant food
Along with a warning that these substances were not fit for human consumption
They soon replaced ecstasy and cocaine as the new designer party drugs
Being cheaper and so readily available more and more people began taking them
People who would never have considered taking illegal drugs now tried these drugs under the illusion that they were safer
But this couldn't be further from the truth
These drugs are a cocktail of chemicals that we have no ides what the long term effects are
You are literally playing Russian roulette
At least with the likes of weed or cocaine you have some idea with what you are taking
We have little understanding of what is in these new party drugs
In Leeds it was the biggest party night of the year
Halloween
We were introduced to Tony and his friends as they prepared for a big night out
It didn't actually show them taking any drugs but it was plain to see that they were off their heads
I watched this programme cautiously
Because of my own history with drugs, watching people under the influence can massively trigger me
And I have to admit I was triggered
As I watched Tony and his friends dancing, smiling, hugging and kissing each other, memories of my own drug addled days came flooding back
I've been there
In a club
At a party
Eyes glazed
Chewing my gums to bits
Loved up
Out of my face
Feeling this amazing feeling of love and unity with all the people around me
Not wanting the night to ever end
But it does end
It has to
What goes up must come down
As the morning light seeps through the curtains, the dreaded come down begins
The next morning we meet Tony again
It's 8am and not having slept he is wandering around town
Talking shite as you do when you're off your face
He looked shocking
His eyes ruby red and falling out of his head
He then left to go and score more drugs
I know that feeling
The story I really related to was Holly
Holly was a 23 year old fashion graduate living in Huddersfield
A stunning red head with ice blue eyes
She began taking mephedrone after she was attacked a couple of years previously
As we picked up her story she was trying to get clean
She had had enough of being a slave to drugs and desperately wanted to change her life
An aspiring fashion designer, she had big dreams
I felt hopeful about Holly
She seemed to have an inner strength and a real desire to live a drug free life
But drugs have brought the strongest of us to our knees
Holly had good insight in to her using and that's always a valuable asset
We saw Holly ad her friends out on Halloween night
She confessed that she was nervous to go out but felt strong enough to resist temptation
The camera interviewed her at various points through out the night and each time she said she hadn't used
But as the camera left her at 6am the following morning, I don't know why but I guessed she had used
Even though she was coherent there was something just not right
Fast forward to Monday morning and we see Holly's dad
He is worried as she has not turned up for work and he hasn't seen or heard from her in 3 days
Immediately I knew she had slipped
I've been there
So ashamed from using that you can't bear to face anyone
Holly arrives home Monday evening looking dishevelled
Still in the same clothes we saw her in on Friday
She admitted to using
She had been in the club's bathroom when another girl invited her in to her cubicle and offered her m-cat
I know just how that feels
When your drug
Your comfort
Your escape is put right in front of you
It takes super human will power to say no
I know people who have been clean for years who would struggle to walk past a line of coke
Only being clean for 2 weeks and having been drinking, Holly did what most of us would have done
I call it 'fuck it syndrome'
Fuck it, I'll have a smoke
Fuck it, I'll have a line
Fuck it!
Holly was devastated that she had used but it's a lesson that most drug addicts learn the hard way
As a counsellor it treatment said to me once 'If you hang around a barbers shop long enough, you will end up getting a hair cut'
The trick is to not let a slip develop in to a full blown relapse
Not to say 'Fuck it'
Overcoming drug addiction is so much more that not picking up
It involves changing your whole life
Your friends
Your behaviour
Your way of thinking
Everything
In my case I moved across the country to get away from drugs
I don't go back to my old town
It's one big trigger
The streets I walked
The housed I used in
The shops I robbed
The people I hung out with
I just can't go back there
I'm pleased to report that at the end of the documentary Holly was 8 weeks clean and was launching her fashion business
I hope and pray for her sake that she stays clean
It breaks my heart to see young people throw away their lives for drugs
It's a life that only leads to hurt, pain, loss and emptiness
For the addict and everyone around them
I've written about my own experience with legal highs
I once tried a substance called 'Ivory'
Sold as bath salts but I suspect it was mephedrone
It was one the scariest experiences of my life
I literally couldn't stop talking
I've never felt so out of control
I remember trying to make a cup of tea and not being able to get it together enough to carry out this simple
task
I took it on a Saturday and didn't come down until Monday
I cried with relief when I finally felt normal again
Did anyone see this documentary?
What did you think?
