Ecstasy death girl's mum backs police chief's call to overhaul drug laws
The mother of a teenager who died after taking ecstasy has backed the call by a police boss to set up safe injecting areas for drug users in North Wales.
Martha Fernbeck, 15, had a heart attack in July 2013 after swallowing half a gram of 90 per cent pure MDMA powder.
Her mother, Anne-Marie Cockburn now campaigns for the legal regulation of drugs.
She spoke at a summit on the decriminalisation of drugs hosted by North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones at Wrexham’s Racecourse Ground on Wednesday evening.
Martha died in 2013 after taking the drug in a park in Oxford where the family are from.
Ms Cockburn revealed the pain over losing her daughter who she described as a “bright and clever girl” who wanted to become an engineer.
She said: “Martha told me she took ecstasy to make her feel happy and after she died I found an online search she’d done to find ways of taking it safely.
“She wanted to get high but she didn’t want to die.
“By telling my story, hopefully others will learn and take part in this important dialogue about regulating the supply of drugs.”
Ms Cockburn was a founder member of Anyone’s Child, an international network of families who say their lives have been wrecked by current drug laws.
She agrees with Mr Jones’ view that drug misuse should be treated as a health issue rather than a crime.
Mr Jones, who was a police officer for 30 years, said cities including Geneva, Switzerland had introduced safe injecting facilities – known as SIFs – allowing drug users to take substances .
He said: “I believe that SIFs, or as we call them enhanced drug consumption rooms, are the way forward here.
“I have no doubt that problems encountered by local residents of Rhosddu with drug use in this town could be alleviated by having such a facility.
“They would make it easier for the user to take drugs and take it away from the public view thereby increasing confidence and reducing fear.
“They would also address the matter of drugs litter and all equipment could be disposed of safely in the facility.”
Ms Cockburn added “I agree with Mr Jones about the safe injecting facilities.
“They would get rid of the paraphernalia of drugs and get users away from parks and open spaces.
“A lot of drug users have complex needs.
“The SIFs would give them access to clean facilities and they wouldn’t have to worry about the stigma of getting access to help.
“I also agree about the heroin assisted treatment because it would help users to get away from crime and receive the support they need such as clean and sterilized equipment.”
Mr Jones said the UK government should be lobbied for changes in drug policy but stressed that decriminalisation does not mean legalization.
