Bristol mother's street drug warning after son's death

Steven Gaydon's death is thought to have been linked to his abuse of a tranquiliser drug called Xanax

A mother is raising awareness of the dangers of cheap street drugs, which she believes led to her son's death.

Patricia Gaydon's son Steven collapsed in St James' Park in Bristol two weeks ago and later died in hospital.

She visited the park where a makeshift memorial was erected and met those who tried to save her 40-year-old son.

Bristol Drugs Project, a service that supports addicts, said it was aware of problems linked to cheap drugs and the problem had worsened in the pandemic.

'Caring and loving'

Family and friends said they were certain his death was linked to the misuse of Xanax, a tranquiliser used to treat anxiety, which has also been known to be mixed with heroin by drug users.

Xanax is normally used to treat anxiety and panic disorders and is safe if not misused.

"He was caring, loving and he was my baby, and I lost him to drugs.

"I tried every which way I could to get him off of it," Ms Gaydon said.

Patricia Gaydon said her son was caring and loving

Mark Gaydon, Steven's brother, added: "They take whatever drugs available. If they're taking Xanax its because its freely and cheaply available and that's the problem.

"Half the time they don't know what they're taking."

The Bristol Drugs Project said it was aware of problems linked to the misuse of drugs like Xanax.

Maggie Telfer, chief executive of Bristol Drugs Project, said: "What we had particularly seen, a few weeks into the first lockdown, was that the purity of heroin and crack cocaine fell dramatically and that's where you started to get lots of pills around, Xanax being one.

"Lots of real pills out there but also counterfeit pills. There are a whole raft of things all of which are very cheap."

Julie Dempster, from Bristol Outreach Services for the Homeless, said: "I'm extremely concerned and I think we also have to consider the impact that this has on the homeless community.

"To grieve while being street homeless is very difficult."