The court heard that on the day of Arthur’s death, he and his friend, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had decided to try LSD together for the first time. DC Vicky Loft, who read out the friend’s statement, said that the boy had researched LSD use online the night before the incident, but while he read advice about how long the effects could last and that it was unwise to take too many doses, there was little information about the potential negative effects.
This bit is particularly worrying. Even the limited info available when I was a teenager specifically warned users against the risk of falls from height or other accidents when taking psychedelics; whilst at the same time their effects encouraged you to explore places; climb up structures etc – to the point we were initially wary of taking them.
It seems these warnings have been hidden online by all the other distractions/dumbing down and no longer always mentioned in high school – perhaps because headteachers fear the school will be judged as having a “drugs problem” (they have to compete with many others for the children who attend them).
The only clear warning about the effects drugs have on co-ordination is now to be only given out to young people when/if they decide to learn to drive or ride a motorcycle. Not every young person does so at age 16+ especially in cities or smaller suburban areas (where it is often possible to walk or cycle everywhere – they are more likely to encounter drugs first.
