Man who lost two sons to drug overdoses calls on government to allow onsite testing at festivals
Ray Lakeman calls on the government to introduce onsite drug testing at festivals
A dad in the Isle of Man is calling on the UK government to change its decision to block drug testing at festivals this summer.
Ray Lakeman lost his two sons Jacques and Torin from an ecstasy overdose in 2014.
He said: "We need to make things as safe as we possibly can. Any concerned government should be able to turn around and say look we don't like this, but we know it's going to happen.
"Make sure you've got testing at festivals, or we'll try and close your festival down. That would be a much better approach."
It comes after the organisers of one of the region's biggest festivals claimed the government is blocking the testing of drugs at Manchester's Parklife festival.
The Home Office told organisers they would not be be able to check for dangerous drugs without a special licence.
In a social media post, Night Time Economy Adviser for Greater Manchester, Sacha Lord said: "This is coming from the Home Office, the Home Secretary Suella Braverman.
"Drug testing saves lives. It is that simple. It’s going on, we don’t condone it. But let’s take the sensible approach.
“And I’m telling you now, if there are any drug-related deaths at festivals this summer that we think could have been prevented by drugs testing, well blood on your hands Suella Braverman. Bang out of order.”
"People are going to take drugs, whether I like it or not"
Jacques and Torin were found dead at a bed and breakfast in Bolton, after they had met to watch a football match in November 2014.
They had bought ecstasy on the dark web, and died after a lethal dose of MDMA.
Since their deaths, Ray Lakeman has been campaigning for drugs to be legally regulated.
He said: "My boys wouldn't have died if you could stop people taking drugs, but you can't."
"I couldn't do anything to stop my boys taking drugs. I'd like to think, that had there been the opportunity, my boys would have tested out what they had before they took it.
"But if the facilities aren't there, you can't do it so you take the risk. They took the risk and they died".
He concluded: "It's not that I'm an advocate for drugs, I don't take drugs. I don't want people to take drugs. I know better than anyone that drugs can kill you.
"Nobody knows the impact of taking illegal drugs better than me.
"But if your policies aren't working and people are dying and you're still carrying on doing the same thing... there's something wrong there".
A Home Office spokesperson said: “Our position hasn’t changed. Drug testing providers must have a licence to test for controlled drugs, including at festivals.
“We have consistently made this condition clear, and law enforcement have always had a responsibility to uphold this legal requirement.
“We have not received any applications for drug testing at the major festivals this summer. We continue to keep an open dialogue with any potential applicants."
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