'I am so afraid for my son'

The woman, who did not wish to be named, told the 'MAIL' of her son's addiction to the so-called 'legal high' and its devastating effect on her family.

She described how the 13-year-old's face and tongue had been scarred by the drug which, she said, is readily available in Taghnevan.

Our recent story of the 12-year-old boy caught taking the drug struck a chord with the family: "My son, who has just turned 13, is taking 'Meth' and is doing so on a regular basis.

"His father and I have tried everything in our power to prevent him from taking these drugs, but it seems no matter what we do it's not enough."

She went on: "Taghnevan estate is full of 'Meth'. Children can access the drug too easily. These drug users are lighting fires in the fields at the back of St Paul's Social Club and having cosy little 'high' sessions while young children are playing and kicking football around them.

"I'm so afraid when my son goes out he won't come back alive. He's so naive and doesn't seem to understand the dangers of this drug."

She said because mephedrone is legal he was under the impression it was not as harmful as illegal drugs: "I can see evidence of the damage it's doing to him. His mouth is covered in a red rash and the surface of his tongue is burnt

"These are the effects I can see, what about the ones I can't? What about the internal damage? What are the long term effects?"

She went on: "I have to ask the question, where are the police? Why aren't they doing something about this?"

The woman went on: "These youths are gathered around 'the shops' in Taghnevan every night, so why aren't the police patrolling the area? Why aren't they trying to stop this anti-social behaviour?

"Are they going to wait until one of our children dies from taking these drugs?"

Robberies, she claimed, are on the increase because drug users are breaking into local houses and stealing to feed their addictions."