Victim gave drug warning: Singer who died at rave had expressed concern about the use of Ecstasy at clubs

THE MAN who last weekend became the fourth person this year who attended a rave in Ayrshire and died after taking drugs, had warned of the dangers of drugs just three weeks before his death.

James McCabe, 21, from Dennistoun, Glasgow, who collapsed at the Metro club in Saltcoats on Saturday after taking an amphetamine-type drug, believed to be ecstasy, was known among ravers as the frontman for a hard-core techno band, Reactive Bass.

In an interview with M8, Scotland's dance magazine, he had expressed concern about the growing use of ecstasy at nightclubs and urged the band's followers: 'Take your time, life is for living.'

Police investigating Mr McCabe's death confirmed yesterday that he had taken drugs but could not say before toxicology tests whether he had used ecstasy. The latest death, which follows three ecstasy-related deaths at the Hanger 13 rave venue in Ayr, brought fresh calls for the closure of nightclubs in the area and for harsher penalties for drug dealers.

Ron McCulloch, the Scottish chairman of the British Discoteque and Entertainment Association, called for urgent talks between club owners, councils and the police to tackle the local drugs problem.

His comments were echoed by John Fox, manager of the Metro, who said: 'We have to get together to find some way of making sure that young people feel they can go out for an evening and have a good time without taking drugs. It's time they, we and the public got together to stamp out this scourge.'

Scenes of nine-year-old children experimenting with cannabis and solvents feature in a hard-hitting series of Channel 4 schools programmes launched yesterday to help to combat widespread drug use by young people.

In one episode of The Good Health Guide to Drugs, a series aimed principally at 9- to 12- year-olds, children recreate typical situations in which peer pressure forces them into sampling alcohol and drugs, most commonly cannabis and solvents.

Michael Grade, chief executive of Channel 4, said: 'Simple scare tactics won't work. We must enable young people who have experimented with drugs to feel that they can take an honest part in the discussions which our initiative will provoke in schools, not be confined to the counter- culture which starts outside the classroom or beyond the gates.

'If there is a price to be paid in loss of innocence in order that we should equip our young people with the information they need to make mature decisions against drugs, then that is a price worth paying.'