Dad who lost two sons in ecstasy overdose calls for drugs to be legalised

A father who lost his two sons to drug overdoses has called for the legalisation of controlled substances. Jacques and Torin Lakeman died after taking a powder, which they believed was ecstasy, purchased on the Dark Web. Their father is now calling for greater regulation of recreational drugs, allowing users to know what they are taking.

He told Good Morning Britain: "Just saying 'no, you've got to stop taking them' hasn't worked. My boys died in Manchester. The quantity that they had in their systems was actually found to be very high at the inquest. They ordered a powder on the Dark Web so they had no knowledge of exactly how strong it was."

He said that he wouldn't say his sons were drug addicts but agreed that 'social drug use' was what led to their deaths.

He went on to add: "I'm absolutely convinced that Coroners, Police, medical experts - they all talk about what they refer to as a recreational dose. If these drugs were regulated and you had a recreational dose, you'd know exactly what you were taking. Whether you like it or not, it would be safer."

It comes just days after two people fell ill and died after reportedly taking ecstasy at a music festival in Portsmouth. Both Georgia Jones, 18, and Tommy Cowan, 20, lost their lives after at the Mutiny Festival, it was subsequently cancelled. A third person is currently in hospital in a critical condition following the incident.

Earlier this week, the mother of Georgia Jones, Janine Milburn made an emotional plea on Facebook for people to not take drugs following the death of her 18-year-old daughter.

Three people have been arrested in relation to the deaths and investigations are continuing, Hampshire Police said in a statement.