I am walking 10 miles to raise money for Anyone's Child this Christmas in memory of someone very special. This person is Tarzan but many knew him as Kevin (Kev) Lane. Kevin died on December 13th 2017 from a drug overdose. Since Kevin's death I have been educating myself on current drug laws and how things could change for the better if drugs we're safely regulated and legally controlled. As a loved one of someone battling addiction it can be easy to point the finger at the substance and develop a hatred for it. It can be easy to assume it is just a matter of choice and that someone is merely choosing to take a substance or not. Its much more complex than that. Addiction is an Illness! Rarely will anyone stop to ask what part does Drug Policy play in their relationship with someone with an addiction. I didn't, in fact it never crossed my mind, only that drugs are illegal and I was fearful of the consequences from the law and society. Since Kevin's passing I've realised that prohibition and the fear of judgement was actually worse than the addiction itself and it was this fear that created the biggest wedge between me and the person I loved. Had drug policies of been different maybe Kevin would have been able to seek help much earlier in his addiction without fear of judgement. Maybe there could have been drug consumption rooms for safe use. Maybe addiction could have been recognised as an illness and treated as a medical issue that it is instead of the criminal issue that it isn't. I wish I had this perspective when I was Kevin's partner, unfortunately I did not. I can only share my insight with others in the hope that they can gain a better understanding of the affects of current drug polices. I know that Kev would be very proud of what I am doing.

You can read my full story here: https://anyoneschild.org/raychel

Here is some information on the organisation I am supporting 💕

Anyone's Child is a network of families whose lives have been wrecked by current drug laws and are now campaigning to change them. Through regulation we can put doctors, pharmacists and licensed retailers in charge of the drugs trade, helping to protect people from the harms of prohibition and the criminal market.It takes enormous courage for these families to speak out and they want their stories to be heard by as many people as possible. This walk is an effort to tell people about the project and to raise awareness about the harms of current drug policy.Your donation will be used to help us to grow and support our network of families and activists. By raising money for Anyone's Child I hope to save lives, end the stigma of drug use, and make the world a safer place for us all.It would be great if you could support us.