In the space of a few short weeks, three young people have lost their lives in separate drug-related incidents in Northern Ireland, underlining once again the appalling dangers associated with these harmful substances.
The latest death was that of 36-year-old Darren Taylor, who was found in a flat in Coagh, Co Tyrone on Monday afternoon.
Only last month, 21-year-old Amy Reid died of a suspected overdose during a house party at the same flat at Hanover Mews in the village.
It is shocking to think that two lives have been lost in the same place just weeks apart and demonstrates just how difficult it is to get the message across that drugs kill.
Sadly, another young man lost his life in Belfast at the weekend, plunging his family into a nightmare of grief.
Jamie Burns (23) from the Shore Road area of north Belfast, collapsed at Queen's University students' union early on Sunday.
His family believe he had taken two ecstasy tablets and warned people of the risk of taking unknown substances.
Jamie's sister Gemma said her brother had made `one stupid mistake' and as a result the entire family had been left devastated.
There will be enormous sympathy for all the relatives of those who died in recent weeks. Their lives have been changed forever by something that could have been prevented.
Every responsible parent warns their teenage and young adult children to stay away from drugs but unfortunately, and for a variety of reasons, some choose to ignore that warning.
What makes it harder to protect young people is the widespread availability of illicit substances including ecstasy, cocaine and heroin as well as prescription drugs.
On Sunday night eight people became ill after eating cookies containing cannabis in Ballymena while two people were arrested.
The lesson of this most tragic period is that people can never assume that any drug is safe.
