Daniel Lloyd, left, and Hugo Wenn died after taking MXE

by Gerry Warren

The father of a teenager who died after taking "party pill" methoxetamine has welcomed it being outlawed today.

Hugo Wenn - who would have been 18 on Tuesday drowned in Canterbury's Reed Pond in January with friend Daniel Lloyd, 25, after they both took the drug.

His father Robert Wenn, from Barham, said he is relieved the government has now made it an an illegal substance.

Previously a legal high, methoxetamine has today been classified as a class B drug - the same as cannabis.

Mr Wenn said: "Instead of celebrating Hugo's special birthday this week, it was a painful day for all the family and instead of birthday cards we had ones of remembrance. Of course, it is a step in the right direction but too little too late for us.

"It's farcical that these party pills have ever been allowed to be openly on sale in the first place and that it takes tragedies like that of Hugo for the government to sit up and take notice.

"it's farcical that these party pills have ever been allowed to be openly on sale in the first place..." – robert wenn

"But, of course, we do welcome that the issue is now being taken seriously. It's no less than we would expect."

Also known as MXE or mexxy, methoxetamine has similar chemical properties to the outlawed ketamine and was the first to be subject to a new temporary banning order imposed in March while the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs investigated.

Today the Home Office also announced two other substances, Black Mamba and Krypton, have become class B drugs.

Crime prevention minister Jeremy Browne said: "High quality scientific advice is vital to the government's ongoing work to tackle harmful drug use. The independent advice we receive from the ACMD is critical to our evidence-based drugs policy.

"The UK is addressing the harm caused by 'legal highs' by outlawing not just individual drugs, but whole families of related substances that have the potential to cause serious harm.

"People who take 'legal highs' are taking serious risks with their lives because often they do not know what they are taking and the drugs may contain harmful substances."

Both young men drowned in Canterbury's Reed Pond

A post mortem revealed both busker Daniel, from Wincheap, and part-time gardener Hugo, who was a former pupil of Archbishop's School and lived with his parents, died from drowning.

However, an inquest in September concluded the drug had contributed to their deaths.

A coroner recorded verdicts of misadventure in both cases.