AS a new study from Queen’s University shows that Northern Ireland’s drug deaths have nearly trebled in a decade, a father in north Belfast is about to mark the seventh anniversary of his son’s death.
Jamie Burns was 23-years-old in November 2016 when he died from a heart attack after taking ecstasy on a night out at the Shine nightclub in Queen’s University Students’ Union.
His heartbroken father William later founded the ‘One Pill Will Kill Campaign,’ a dedicated effort to warn more young people against risking their lives and to confront any glamourisation of illegal drugs.
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Drugs deaths in Northern Ireland almost trebled in a decade, report shows
Just days away from the seventh anniversary of the loss, Mr Burns posted on the campaign’s Facebook page about how it still affects him deeply.
“You know sometimes it's hard to believe how such simple things can happen in your life and change it completely,” he wrote.
“Seven years ago tonight I was few days away from a life changing episode that would leave me and my family without a son , brother, uncle , nephew, cousin .
“No one had any idea that Saturday, November 19, 2016, would be Jamie Burns’ last day with us.
“It’s definitely true what they say .......it's as well we know nothing of what's in front of us."
Wondering about the experiences his son should have had, he noted that he had missed seven birthdays and Christmases.
Two of Jamie’s nephews have been born, a niece has grown up to play football and his younger sister has become a nurse and a mother.
“How can a simple swallow of one pill change so much? Easy, when it’s drugs,” Mr Burns said.
Imagining younger people believing they are not risk, he said: “Yea I know , I can hear people say now ‘won't happen to me , I know what I'm doing.’
“Probably exactly what he said to himself when he swallowed it. Listen folks, I can send out message after message giving you facts and figures about drug deaths . About how drugs are mixed with everything and anything to make more money for death dealers….and you can read it and just carry on with your life.
“All I ask is if /when you’re at a party or out in town .....before you take that pill or line of coke, stop for ten seconds and think ‘what if this is the one to kill me? What if I don’t see tomorrow? What will my parents/friends do if I die here tonight?’”
Urging anyone with doubts not to take that risk, he added: “It's been six years, 11 months, three weeks and four days exactly since my son took one pill and ended his life ....he never realised the dangers...you do.
"Don’t waste your chance. Make the right choice and just say no.”
