HEROIN VICTIM'S DEATH USED AS WARNING

The parents of a 21-year-old student who died of a heroin overdose have
released graphic pictures of her death to warn teenagers of the dangers of
the drug.

Mick and Pauline Holcroft, of Ledbury, Herefordshire, have allowed pictures
of their daughter Rachel Whitear to be used in an anti-drugs video for
secondary schools.

They say they want to "make people think" about the dangers of the drug -
and to challenge stereotypes about drug abusers.

Mrs Holcroft, 52, said: "It's horrific to look at a photograph like that of
your own daughter. We pray that this film will make a difference.

"It was a very difficult decision to release the photograph, but we thought
that if we did so we would be using her body to help others.

The decision to release the pictures was praised by the parents of teenage
ecstasy victim Leah Betts. But pressure group DrugScope suggested the
photos would be of little use.

"If it can happen to her, it can happen to anyone."

The 22-minute film, entitled Rachel's Story, shows how she began as a
"beautiful and brilliant" girl who had 10 GCSEs and two A-levels, and
excelled at the piano.

'Beautiful And Brilliant'

Rachel's mother and stepfather believe she first took heroin when she was
18, after being introduced to it by an older boyfriend who was an addict.

At first she kept her habit under control, was accepted by five
universities and went to read psychology and sociology at Bath University.

But her addiction continued, and her parents noticed her personality had
changed from fun-loving and outgoing to unhappy, insecure and unreliable.

She dropped out of university after a term and went to live in Exmouth with
her boyfriend.

She died of an overdose in rented rooms in the town in May 2000, aged 21,
just days after phoning her parents to say she was leaving her boyfriend
and coming home.

Her body lay undiscovered for three days.

The police photograph shows her body keeled over on the floor, with bruised
and discoloured flesh and a hypodermic syringe in her hand.

Mike Denton, of Herefordshire LEA, said: "The photographs of Rachel after
her death are pretty harrowing.

"But some of the most harrowing parts are watching the emotions on the
faces of Rachel's mother and sister as they tell the story.

"If you were trying to put together an ideal background for a young person
to grow up in and be happy and successful the Holcroft family would be it.

"Yet even in that environment it was possible for this tragedy to happen."

Experiment

Mrs Holcroft said: "I think Rachel really hated what had happened to her.
But you can't take heroin one day and suddenly decide to stop.

"Part of what this film gets over is how a person can hide their addiction."

Mr Holcroft said: "There'll be a point in a child's life when someone says
'try that'. They'll be put into a circle where they are encouraged to try
things and experiment."

The Department of Health-backed video is to be released to secondary
schools in Herefordshire later this year.

The family hopes it will become a national educational resource.

Leah Betts' parents Paul and Janet told BBC News Online they admired the
Holcrofts' courage in releasing the video.

Mr Betts said: "If you have just helped one young person you have been
successful."

But Drugscope chief executive Roger Howard said: "There is little evidence
that such shock tactics actually work in changing behaviour."

He said he hoped it could help change government policy, bringing more
investment in treatment and initiatives on harm reduction.

"The government will not succeed in addressing this problem until it sees
drug use more as a public health problem rather than just a criminal one,"
he said.