I Wish I'd Known: Young People, Drugs and Decisions: A Guide for Parents and Carers

'SUCH AN IMPORTANT BOOK... ESSENTIAL READING FOR PARENTS' Gabby Logan

'INCREDIBLY POWERFUL... A MUST-READ' Victoria Derbyshire

When Dan died, I realised many things.

I realised drugs were closer to our door than I'd thought.

I realised drugs have become normalised for young people.

I realised drugs are more affordable, accessible and available than ever before.

And I realised I didn't know enough, and nor did Dan, to navigate the choices and come back alive.

When Daniel Spargo-Mabbs was 16, he went to a party and never came home. The party was an illegal rave and Daniel - bright, popular, big-hearted prom king Dan - died from a fatally strong overdose of MDMA.

In the seven years since, the range of substances has become wider, the levels of exposure higher, and the threat to young people's physical and mental health from drugs greater than ever before. Despite this, there is almost no guidance for parents to help their children navigate this perilous landscape and to stay safe.

To come home at night.

To grow up.

This book is everything Fiona Spargo-Mabbs wishes she'd known, everything she wishes she'd done, before she lost her son. Because however you parent, and whatever you do, at some point your child is likely to be in a situation where they have to make a decision about drugs. What if that decision is 'yes'? Do they know what the risks are? Do they have strategies they can bring to bear if things go wrong?

I Wish I'd Known interweaves the story of one family's terrible loss with calm, measured and practical advice for parents. It explores the risks posed by illegal drugs, and explains the way the adolescent brain makes decisions. There is practical advice for saying safe, information on reducing harm, and 'talking points' for parents and their children to do, talk about, look at, look up or consider.

A life lost to drugs is a loss like no other. Throughout the book, Daniel's story - his life, his death and what happened afterwards - not only provides a compelling reminder of the importance of those conversations, but also serves as an unforgettable eulogy to a son, brother, boyfriend and friend whose legacy continues to touch, and perhaps even save, the lives of other young people.

Fiona Spargo-Mabbs was a manager in adult education, including Family Learning, and family literacy, for her local authority when her son Dan died. She is now considered one of the leading experts in drugs education in the UK, and her influence is growing steadily. She, and the Daniel Spargo-Mabbs Foundation, are involved in an ever-increasing number of strategic projects nationally, and she has appeared in the media many times over the years. Fiona has led on the development and management of the work of the Foundation, from delivery to students and co-ordination with schools, to networking and strategy, and chaired the Board of Trustees until April 2016. Her passionate commitment to do all she can to prevent what happened to her son, or any other harm from drugs happening to anyone else, drives everything she does within the Foundation.