Legal highs kill two brothers in 3 years

A GRieViNG woman has issued a stark warning about the dangers of legal highs after the deadly drugs claimed the lives of her two brothers in the space of three years.

Melanie Downie said she and her family have been ‘broken’ by the deaths of her siblings who had been ‘blighted with addiction’ since their teens.

William McGough, 30, drowned in 2013 while in the grip of a crippling addiction to the psychoactive substances.

Now, in a crushing new blow to the family, the body of his brother simon, 37, was found last week next to a packet of drugs during a visit to Mrs Downie’s home.

The heartbreaking news has left Deadly drugs: William, left, and Simon McGough both died Mrs Downie and her parents Jean and William devastated.

Mrs Downie, who works in nuclear decommissioning, is sharing their story to highlight the addictive and destructive nature of the substances. in an emotional Facebook post, which has been shared more than 1,000 times, Mrs Downie, of Kilbirnie, Ayrshire, condemned legal highs for being ‘easily available’ and ‘marketed as safe and fun, cheap and completely legal’.

she wrote: ‘Yesterday i organised the funeral of my second brother in three years... the reason – legal highs.’

Mrs Downie, 40, said addiction had ‘chewed them up and spat them out’. she wrote: ‘Kids and young people are dying from drugs you can buy online. how many more families have to go through this? Legal highs should be banned. To my little brothers, William and simon, i’d give anything to have you back here with us. May you rest in peace.’

in 2014 legal highs were said to be linked to 112 deaths in scotland. Officially known as new psychoactive substances, legal highs can lead to damaging side-effects, including psychotic episodes.