Children targeted with hard drugs
CRIME: Police have warned that drug dealers are mixing drugs with stronger substances to get children hooked after a schoolboy from North Yorkshire was hospitalised.
The youngster from the Craven district believed he had been smoking cannabis, but he fell ill after accidentally taking MDMA, cocaine and opiates.
POLICE HAVE warned that drug dealers are mixing drugs with stronger substances to get children hooked after a schoolboy from North Yorkshire was hospitalised.
The youngster, who is from the Craven district, believed he had been smoking cannabis, but he fell ill after accidentally taking what medical tests have revealed to be MDMA, cocaine and opiates.
Officers from North Yorkshire Police yesterday issued a stark warning, aimed particularly at children, of the dangers of taking illegal drugs after the boy was taken to hospital earlier this week.
Hospital tests showed traces of other drugs in the boy’s bloodstream – including MDMA, cocaine and opiates – along with the cannabis he smoked.
He was discharged from hospital the same day.
Police confirmed that it is believed those dealing in drugs are mixing stronger substances with cannabis when selling to young people in order for them to get addicted.
Craven Neighbourhood Policing Sergeant Paul Evans said: “We were deeply saddened to hear of this story concerning one of our young people.
“Illegal drugs are illegal for a reason; they are dangerous and can become even more toxic when mixed with other substances.
“A drug dealer is never going to be honest with you about the contents of your purchase and will often add other items to either bulk out their products or in cases such as this attempt to get the user addicted.
“Taking illegal drugs may seem like harmless fun but it does have consequences. Possessing such items could land you with a criminal record which will stay with you for life, making it difficult to follow some career paths and even travel to some countries.
“Taking the drugs could lead to a hospital admission or worse still they could kill you.”
Sgt Evans urged parents to speak to their children to warn them of the dangers of drug-taking.
He added: “People who start taking drugs that are widely deemed softer can soon become addicted and move on to harder more damaging substances. This in turn can lead to other issues such as criminality as users attempt to fund their habit.
“The safety, health and wellbeing of our young people is of utmost importance and we would urge anyone who has information on who is responsible for dealing drugs in our neighbourhoods to contact us with information.”
North Yorkshire Police have appealed for information about the latest case in the hope of tracing the drug-dealers responsible for the boy becoming hospitalised.
Anyone with information can contact the North Yorkshire force on the non-emergency number of 101
The independent charity, Crimestoppers, can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.
“Illegal drugs are illegal for a reason; they are dangerous. Craven Neighbourhood Policing Sergeant Paul Evans.