A MOTHER has warned students not to repeat her son’s mistake after he almost died from taking a hallucinogenic drug bought off the internet. The 18-year-old, from Dorchester, who is recovering at home after being treated in hospital, is now waiting to be quizzed by police and faces disciplinary action by his university. He was one of three University of Chichester students rushed to hospital after taking the drug mescaline purchased online. His mum, who wishes to remain anonymous, says her son ‘deeply regrets’ his actions and doesn’t want anyone to repeat them.
She said: “Getting the call to say he was convulsing was every parents’ nightmare. My son was in hospital for 24 hours; luckily there was no lasting damage but he couldn’t walk upstairs until four days later. They all could have died. When you buy something like that off the internet, you don’t know what you’re getting. Why they did, I have no idea. But what’s done is done and he is really sorry, but he nearly killed himself.”
Emergency services were alerted to student accommodation in the West Sussex city when the trio complained of feeling unwell. The university said the men ‘owe their lives’ to medics and university staff who were called to their aid. The Dorchester student’s mother added: “The medical staff were absolutely amazing. My son is lucky to be alive.
“Not only is taking these drugs dangerous, it is illegal. We don’t want other children or parents to go through the same thing. Every parent I’ve spoken to has said a phone call like that is the one thing they all dread.”
She said the varying reactions all three students had to the drug further shows why taking it is so dangerous. She added: “You might think you’re just going to have a trip, but the reality is you could die.”
A 21 year-old student, who was one of the three hospitalised, has since been arrested on suspicion of possession of a Class A drug, supplying a Class A drug, two counts of possession of Class B drugs and permitting use of premises for supplying a Class A drug. He has been bailed until July.
He has been suspended from studies for misconduct and the 18- year-old from Dorchester along with a 20 year-old student will also be subject to disciplinary action.
Drugs advice service FRANK describes mescaline as a hallucinogenic drug deriving from the Peyote cactus and other plant family members and users may suffer vomiting, headaches and feelings of anxiety.
In the UK, mescaline in purified powder form is a class A drug, however, the dried cactus can be bought and sold legally.
University vice-chancellor Professor Clive Behagg said: “These three students are lucky to have survived. They owe their lives to the intervention of the university support staff, the police and paramedic services, and the skills of the medical teams at St. Richard’s Hospital, for which I am deeply grateful.”
The Echo reported last week how Weymouth father Daniel Batchelor, 34, took an accidental overdose of a pain relief drug he bought online.
His fiancée warned more must be done to raise awareness of the dangers of drugs bought online.
