Paul Betts, the father of Leah Betts who became an anti-drugs icon after her death in 1995, has died following a battle with motor neurone disease. He was 70.
Betts and his wife Janet, Leah's stepmother, became well-known for releasing a photo of Leah on a life-support machine after she died from taking a single ecstasy tablet at her 18th birthday party. The image had a profound impact on a generation, with many crediting it for deterring them from drug use.
In a 2016 interview, Betts reflected on the decision, saying it was "one of the best things that could've happened" despite the death threats and harassment they faced from drug dealers, which forced them to relocate to the Scottish Highlands. He noted that they still received letters from young people thanking them for the warning.
However, Betts also said that if the same tragedy occurred today, he would not share the photo due to the cruelty of social media, which he believed his wife could not have handled.
Betts' death comes as ecstasy use is reportedly on the rise again in the UK, with cheaper and stronger pills available than in Leah's time.
