Pub] Date: Tue 24th June, 1997 Source: The Scotsman, Edinburgh, UK (http://www.scotsman.com) Contact: Charge all dealers with murder says victim's mother Family of ecstasy death boy tells campaign launch zero tolerance message must get through to children GRAEME STEWART THE mother of Scotland's youngest ecstasy victim yesterday called for convicted drug pushers to be charged with murder or attempted murder. Phyllis Woodlock, who took the decision to switch off her 13 yearold son's life support machine last Thursday, was expanding on her call at the weekend for courts to crack down on drug dealers. Trembling with emotion, she said at the launch of National Drugs Awareness week: "Our next step is to try and change the law so that anyone who supplies or sells drugs to someone else should be charged with intent to kill or of causing someone's death." Andrew Woodlock died last Thursday when doctors switched off his life support machine after his parents were told he was brain dead. Shortly after his death, at Monklands General Hospital, his mother said the law should be changed so drug dealers could be given tougher sentences. "The court system is a waste of time if they can't lock people away who have hurt other people through drugs if they're locked up in jail, they can't be doing kids any harm," said Mrs Woodlock, of New Stevenston, Lanarkshire. Yesterday, she called for everyone to unite in an effort to round up known drug pushers by tipping off the police through anonymous calls. Mrs Woodlock said she also supported David Macauley, the campaigns director of the Governmentbacked Scotland Against Drugs, who sparked a row at the weekend by turning on drug agencies who advocate "harm reduction", educating young people on how to take drugs safely. She said she could understand those agencies, but claimed the philosophy did not work. "I am fed up hearing middle class drug workers saying there is a safe way to take drugs. Tell that to my never taken drugs before, it is for the poor children of this society who are already hooked and have a drugs dependency. "That is why I am behind Mr Macauley 100 per cent in getting the zero tolerance message across to our kids in both high schools and primary schools. It is a time for all of us to stand together united as one and for some people to admit that just maybe they are wrong and fight this battle together to help our future generations from taking drugs," she said. At the end of her speech, Mrs Woodlock gave a message to the Prime Minister, Tony Blair. "I voted for the Labour Party to win the election, not because I expect them to do much for the likes of myself but for our future generation. Someone has to make this world a safer place for them to live in." She said she often wondered where she had got the strength to deal with the past few days, but had concluded it was "Andrew's spirit reassuring me he's all right. He's with his grandfather who died earlier this year. "So let the launch of National Drugs Awareness Week be the parents of Britain saying enough is enough. It is time to fight back and please God, let Andrew Woodlock be the last victim of ecstasy." Netta Maciver, director of Turning Point, the charity which provides residential and nonresidential care for drug addicts, said there was a place for the "harm reduction" treatment for addicts, but she did not think it was of any relevance to a 13yearold boy. "Harm reduction has worked with people who have used drugs and there is a place for such treatment for those who have used drugs over a period of time. But I don't think it has any place with a 13yearold." Sir Tom Farmer, chairman of the Scotland Against Drugs campaign, said education, education and more education was the only answer. "If we can work together, I am quite sure we can make a tremendous difference. We have to educate children, parents and those in the workplace about the dangers of drug abuse."