Anyone's child: Families for safer drug control

My name is Anne-Marie Cockburn.

Last July, I received the phone call that no parent ever wants, saying that my 15-year-old daughter, Martha, was gravely ill as a result of an ecstasy overdose. She eventually died.

I am appealing for your help to reach our £10,000 target to launch this new project because I believe Martha might still be alive today if drugs were legally regulated. Please donate what you can, so that other parents never have to feel the way I do.

Anyone's Child: the project

We are witnessing historic changes around the world, as countries are finally beginning to explore ways of legally regulating drugs. A growing number of US states have decided to put governments rather gangsters in control of the cannabis trade, and even in the UK, the government has produced a report admitting that harsh penalties do not deter drug use.

But the biggest remaining barrier to widespread reform is many people’s fear that any move away from prohibition would endanger their children. And unscrupulous politicians and elements of the media whip up and play on this fear to further their own agendas.

This emotional response is impossible to dispel with evidence alone. We need to directly counter people’s fears by using the same kind of powerful and moving language as the fear itself. And sadly, that is something only parents like Anne-Marie can do.

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