• Alex Heriot, 19, collapsed in the main area at the RockNess festival at Dores, on the shores of Loch Ness, on Saturday night
  • Before festival he had tweeted: 'To say I am excited for RockNess 2012 is an absolute understatement'
  • Two other festival goers believed to be friends of the dead teenager described as being in a 'comfortable' condition
  • Benzo Fury can be bought wholesale over the internet and usually sells for 10 a pill, or 25 for three

By Jill Reilly

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Alex Heriot, 19, collapsed in the main area at the RockNess festival at Dores, on the shores of Loch Ness, on Saturday night.

Alex Heriot, 19, collapsed at the RockNess festival

The devastated family of a teenager who collapsed and died at a music festival after apparently taking a 'legal high' have warned about the dangers of taking drugs.

The grieving family of Alex Herriot described the 19-year-old as a 'happy, caring and kind young man' after he collapsed at the RockNess festival in Scotland.

Mr Herriot, from Portobello in Edinburgh, is thought to have experimented with a legal drug called Benzo Fury at the festival, on the shores of Loch News at Dores in the Highlands.

The 19-year-old collapsed in the main area on Saturday night and died in hospital a short time later. His relatives say he was not a habitual user of drugs and had been warned to steer clear of them.

They spoke of their devastation at the loss of an 'immensely popular' young man, saying they would never get over his death.

In a statement issued through Northern Constabulary, the family said: 'Alex, our much loved son, was happy, caring, kind, loyal and affectionate and joined in enthusiastically with any project. He was very popular with a large group of close, good friends.

'He was beautiful both on the outside and the inside where it matters most. He loved his life.

'The fact that we will not be seeing him wandering around the house with his laptop playing his music, teasing his sister and asking if there was any food and 'could he have a bus fare please' is unbearable.

'Alex was attending a music festival which he had been looking forward to enormously. As a young man who enjoyed life, it was unfortunate he chose to experiment with a drug that had such a catastrophic effect on his system.

'We are devastated that we have lost him but anything he did, in every area of his life, was done with good intent, in this case to get the most out of his festival experience.'

Mr Herriot had almost completed an HND in media studies and planned to go to Edinburgh's Queen Margaret University. He was said to have enjoyed film, anime, comedy and music.

Thanking the police and the medics who tried to save his life, the family said: 'The sudden death of our beloved son Alex has left his family in a state of shock and is a loss we will never get over.

On Thursday, the teenager,had written on his Twitter webpage about how much he was looking forward to the festival

On Thursday, the teenager, had written on his Twitter profile page about how much he was looking forward to the Scottish music festival

Tragic: Alex Heriot, 19, collapsed in the main area at the RockNess festival at Dores, on the shores of Loch Ness, on Saturday night

Festival: More than 30,000 people attended the weekend event and police said 144 revellers had been arrested over drug possession and one for dealing

Friends: Hours later, a 19-year-old woman and 20-year-old man, believed to be friends of the dead teenager, were taken to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness after taking the legal high

Friends: Hours later, a 19-year-old woman and 20-year-old man, believed to be friends of the dead teenager, were taken to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness

WHAT IS 'LEGAL HIGH 'BENZO FURY?

‘Legal highs’ are substances which produce the same, or similar effects, to drugs such as cocaine and ecstasy, but are not controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act. 

There are a large number of 'legal highs' - some are known by their brand/product name, such as Benzo Fury and it's not always clear what's in these products and their contents can change regularly.

Tablets lying on a person's palm, extreme close-up

Benzo Fury is a man-made amphetamine which can give users a euphoric high.

It induces feelings of empathy similar to Class  A drug ecstasy.

Benzo Fury is also a stimulant and it's side effects include loss of appetite, hallucinations and paranoia.

Controversial 'legal highs' such as Benzo Fury and Ivory Wave are manufactured in laboratories in the Far East and eastern Europe.

They have become a popular alternative to illegal ecstasy and Meow Meow..

'He was a very special person, always in a good mood, funny, interested in everything around him, immensely popular and loved by everyone who knew him.

'He had everything going for him: personality in abundance, very good, close friends, a large extended family unit that supported and adored him; and we are all devastated by our loss.'

In a warning to other youngsters, they said: 'Alex was not a habitual drug user. We know that young people dabble in drugs and Alex had been warned to steer clear. Please, please be aware that certain drugs can kill and please don't be the next youngster to leave their family bereft.'

Mr Herriot died in the early hours of Sunday morning at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness, failing to respond to treatment.

Police said over the weekend that early indications show that he may have taken drugs.

Officers said a 19-year-old girl and a 20-year-old man were also taken to hospital from the festival in the early hours of Sunday morning. They are thought to have taken drugs, including so-called legal highs.

The man and woman are described as being in a ‘comfortable’ condition.

Northern Constabulary confirmed Mr Heriot’s death is believed to be drug-related but would not say whether he had taken Benzo Fury.

Toxicology tests are being carried out to discover what substance or mixture, if any, was involved.

Benzo Fury can be bought wholesale over the internet and usually sells for 10 a pill, or 25 for three.

Mr Heriot's father told the Daily Record: 'We are still talking to the police liaison people and we are not sure of the full circumstances of what has happened.

'We are still struggling to take it in.'

On Thursday, the teenager, who was studying at Jewel and Esk College in Dalkeith, Midlothian, had written on his Twitter webpage about how much he was looking forward to the festival, headlined by acts including Mumford & Sons.

Teenage festival-goer dies after taking 10 'legal high' Benzo Fury as two more recover in hospital after taking the drug

Benzo Fury can be bought wholesale over the internet and usually sells for 10 a pill, or 25 for three.

He wrote: ‘To say I am excited for RockNess 2012 is an absolute understatement.’

More than 30,000 people attended the weekend event and police said 144 revellers had been arrested over drug possession and one for dealing.

Legal highs defeat sniffer dogs which are not trained to detect legal substances and so far no other Benzo Fury has been found.

Police and organisers minimised the risk of controlled drugs at the festival through measures, including searches and the use of drugs dogs as well as amnesty bins.

Event commander, Superintendent Stevie Mackay, said: 'Taking drugs or any medicines, which you have not been prescribed, is an extremely risky thing to do.

'People may think that legal highs are safe, because they are not classed as a controlled drug, but they are extremely dangerous.

'If anyone has the tablets described or any other drug, whether controlled or a 'legal high', in their possession, they are advised not to take them and to hand these in.

'Amnesty bins are available at the main Nesstival entrance or anyone can hand in substances to Crew 2000 at the welfare tent.'

‘Legal highs’ are substances which produce the same, or similar effects, to drugs such as cocaine and ecstasy, but are not controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

There are a large number of 'legal highs' - some are known by their brand/product name, such as Benzo Fury and it's not always clear what's in these products and their contents can change regularly.

Legal high deaths: Hester Stewart's body, left, was found next to a bottle of GBL in a house in Brighton after a party while Lois Waters, right 24, is believed to have taken party drug mephedrone - known as meow meow - in the lead up to her death

In recent years there have been several highly publicised cases of young people dying after taking drugs which were legal highs.

Hester Stewart's body, 21, was found next to a bottle of GBL in a house in Brighton after a party in 2009, while Lois Waters, 24, is believed to have taken party drug mephedrone - known as meow meow - in the lead up to her death in 2009.

Both substances are now banned, but health professionals and police fear each time a drug is outlawed, a new alternative is introduced on to the market.

Benzo Fury is a man-made amphetamine which can give users a euphoric high and induces feelings of empathy similar to ecstasy.

It is also a stimulant and its side effects include loss of appetite, hallucinations and paranoia.

Fatal collision: Two men killed in a road crash on Friday that involved a bus taking people to RockNess have been named as Mark McFarlane, 38, and Barry Murray, 28

Fatal collision: Two men killed in a road crash on Friday that involved a bus taking people to RockNess have been named as Mark McFarlane, 38, and Barry Murray, 28

Controversial 'legal highs' such as Benzo Fury are usually produced in laboratories in the Far East and eastern Europe.

They have become a popular alternative to illegal ecstasy and the now banned drug meow meow.

Meanwhile two men killed in a road crash on Friday that involved a bus taking people to RockNess have been named.

A van driver and passenger died in the accident at Ralia, near  Newtonmore, Inverness-shire.
Northern Constabulary said the men were Mark McFarlane, 38, and Barry Murray, 28, decorators from the Glasgow area.

Meanwhile, police are anxious to trace Zoe McArthur, 18, of  Edinburgh, who was last seen on Saturday evening at the festival.

Here's what other readers have said. Why not add your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards.

The comments below have been moderated in advance.

what is this 'drugs' real use?

Mugs take drugs.

I am astounded at the people who are red arrowing others comments, for making a true and accurate statement. Drugs can kill, yes even prescribed ones and legal ones, if not taken as instructed. Quite a few years ago i had an operation on my knee and was given an anti-inflamatory and ended up having a massive allergic reaction to it, this is a prescribed legal drug and if the paramedics hadn't got to me in time I would be dead. People its about time you grow up and face facts for goodness sake. In relation to this story well it clearly states 'not for human consumption' so why are people red arrowing for others that see this? what strange society we have lays blame on government, people in authority for stupid mistakes by others. No one forces people to take these drugs or overdose that is a choice by the person, so why should the government and others be blamed for stupidness. I personally feel for the family and give them my condolences to them.

I wonder what 'not for human consumption' means? Maybe it's a clue!

Didn't we learn from American history that prohibition does not work? And why are our politicians ignoring the drug advisory board? There always have and always will be drug dealers, the police could never stop it and never will. Instead of wasting resources trying, we should have a regulated market and rely on education to keep people from addiction and abuse. Then no-one will need to try stupid new substances like this.

kids are getting mixed messages due to the legality problems and screw ups. make safe drugs legal and make unsafe drugs illegal. we know the safe drugs, cannabis, ecstasy, etc. make those legal and controlled so they are pure. that way no kid will turn to these current legal highs, which all seem to induce paranoia and "twitchiness" and not much else. the current system is actually killing people. this has to stop.

Would it not be safer and wiser to regulate the drugs? People are going to take them regardless of what the law says, much safer if the government regulated them and they could tax them too!!

Lou - Surrey: Sorry but your comment leads me to believe you have not been to a festival either ever or in a while. You do not get arrested at the festival gates for carrying small amounts of drugs intended for personal use. All that happens is you get your drugs confiscated and you may have your ticket revoked meaning you can't get into the festival at all. If you're stupid enough to do drugs in the first place then I think these punishments are more than fair. People take "legal highs" because they are under some illusion that they are safer and less harmful than illegal drugs. At the end of the day kids will try anything if they are that determined to take drugs, just look back at the 90's glue sniffing issues and solvent abuse.

Whilst it's obviously a tragedy that this young man has died, why does any reporting of these sad incidents apportion blame to a legal or illegal drug before results of toxicology report are known. If they find there was some underlying medical condition or someone has mixed a load of drugs together this rarely gets reported so it's just taken as read that these drugs are harmful when that isn't necessarily the case.

ummmm...not for human consumption??

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