Most drugs in their purest form have some medicinal benefit (in the right circumstances!). The stuff you buy on the streets is not pure, it's cut in someone's backyard lab with god only knows what. Not to mention the lack of accurate dosing, possible side effects, addiction… Anyway, street drugs are bad news. I really dislike the term 'recreational drugs'. It suggests that taking drugs is as reasonable a choice as walking the dog or kicking around a footy.

I'd be interested to know what happened to this family, too. I'm horrified on a personal level that any parent would give drugs to their child, but sadly, not surprised.