A plumber has told how he has "lost everything" including his home and job and is now living in a tent after becoming addicted to a dangerous new drug.
Simon was living in a 'nice' two-bed semi just two years ago but is now sleeping rough in Stoke as he admits he is on "on the floor".
The qualified heating and plumbing engineer was introduced to the Class B drug monkey dust and is now taking it daily.
The 42-year-old is backing Government moves to make monkey dust a Class A drug.
“I got into dust, monkey dust, lost everything, and now I’m on the floor. I’m still taking dust. It’s all we do all day, rush around, try to get fed and try to get hold of dust, because it’s so addictive," he said.
“They offer it to you. It’s homeless people, trying to make ends meet, dealing. People push it, they want to get you hooked, and then they exploit you.”
The Government is currently reviewing whether monkey dust should be upgraded from Class B to Class A.
Simon told StokeonTrentLive: “It’s Class A all the way for me ... I think it should be Class A plus, plus plus. As in, get this dust, it’s so good, you’re going away for the rest of your life, because it’s in plenty of supply.
“I think it should be available on prescription, that way it would cut all the dealers out. They could give it controlled to me, and I’m being serious, I could run this country better than the prime minister.”
Simon says he can buy a day's worth of monkey dust for just £20.
He continued: “When you take it, your vision comes out, your vision is 20/20, it lasts about three hours. I’ve done heroin and crack cocaine but dust is just the next level. It takes you to the next dimension.
“My theory is, if you’ve got a bad personality, if you’re unstable and nasty, the dust will have a very nasty effect on you, it’ll control you, you’ll set fire to someone or attack someone. Like me, I got attacked this week.
“I was in a house in Newcastle when some guy came into the house who doesn’t live there and started attacking me. It was unprovoked, he’s a drug dealer, dealing everything. I got out of the house and then he attacked me again in that little underground park in Newcastle.
"Some people stopped him. A lot of people know and look out for me, they tell me it’s sorted. He will find that out soon if he hasn’t found out already.
“This time next year, I’d like to be off the dust and be a rock star in America as I can sing very well. Singing gives you confidence, power and self-esteem. Hopefully I’ll be able to get somewhere soon.”
