Brother's death prompts contaminated drugs warning

A grieving sister has urged people to be aware of the dangers of synthetic drug black mamba after her brother died having used a potentially contaminated strain.

Stephen Taylor collapsed in Birmingham city centre on 19 October and died in hospital on Saturday.

His sister Dawn French said she was told by police that there was a contaminated strain of the synthetic drug on the streets of Birmingham. Speaking on BBC Radio WM, French said: "I don't think this is just a cannabis or you know, I don't think this drug is safe. This is not safe."

West Midlands Police said they were working to investigate whether her brother's death was linked to potentially contaminated drugs.

Black Mamba is a psychoactive drug that looks like cannabis but is cheaper and more potent.

It mimics the effects of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive chemical in cannabis.

It was among a raft of so-called legal highs that were first outlawed by the government in 2013.

French said her brother had been struggling with an addiction to the drug for "many many years" because it had been called a legal high when it was introduced.

"You could buy it over the counter in your local corner shop and your post offices and stuff," she said.

"Obviously I think the government realised how dangerous it actually is and quickly banned it.

"At that point, you know, many people were addicted, and so it was a little too late, ever since then he's been struggling with that addiction."

However, her brother had had been clean for a long time, she said.

"I'd been speaking to him every day and he was doing so well.

"He was back in church. He'd moved out of his supported accommodation and got his own flat."

She got a call from West Midlands Police on the day he collapsed.

"They just said, 'sorry, your brother's in hospital. He's currently on life support, his heart stopped in Birmingham city centre'", she said.

"They said there's a contaminated batch of Mamba, Stephen has smoked it and his heart stopped. They told me it had been over 30 minutes for them to get his heart started."

French, who lives in Wigan, rushed to Birmingham to be at her brother's side. On Friday evening, his life support was switched off and he died in the early hours of Saturday morning.

She is now speaking publicly to raise awareness of the dangers the drug poses.

"I was having to try and take things into my own hands ... to get the information out into Birmingham and to warn people," she said.

"Because I didn't want another family ,if I could help it, to be going through what we went through."

French said police officers told her that a contaminated batch of the drug was causing problems in Birmingham.

West Midlands Police said they were working to investigate whether Taylor's death was linked to potentially contaminated drugs.

"We understand that a small number of other people in the same area may also have become unwell, but did not require hospital treatment," a spokesperson for the force said.

"As part of our enquiries, a man aged 23 was arrested this morning on suspicion of possession with intent to supply drugs. He remains in police custody.

"Officers are liaising with public health colleagues and patrolling the city centre alongside partners, including drug charities, as we remind people of the risks of taking illegal substances, and help to make sure that vulnerable people are being offered the appropriate support."

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