‘It’s such a waste of life that could have been saved’

Aimi Garidis had a happy marriage, beloved baby daughter and was looking forward to the future, before her husband’s fatal drugs overdose turned her life upside down.

She is now one of many campaigners calling for reforms that, she believes, could have saved him.

Standing in front of a newly painted mural on the People’s Republic of Stokes Croft wall, Jamaica Street, Aimi’s message is starkly portrayed in the faces of people whose lives have been wrecked by drugs.

The mural lists some of the countries where drugs have been decriminalised

Speaking out during Bristol Take Drugs Seriously week of action, she is telling her story in a bid to show that drug use and addiction could affect anyone and to shed light on a system that, campaigners say, is failing families.

“On Saturday, February 22 2014, my husband, Chris, and I spent a blissfully normal day together with our 18-month-old daughter: going for a walk, cooking dinner and watching a film before going to bed,” says Aimi.

“We had just completed our first house purchase the week before and I can distinctly remember that night thinking how happy I was. The following day, Chris flew to Barcelona for a work conference and our lives would never be the same again.

“Chris was a high-functioning addict and held down a job on a national newspaper, but suffered with anxiety and started taking un-prescribed Valium (Diazepam) whilst on long, packed bus journeys when he was travelling in Asia at the age of 21.

“We met when we were both 22 and throughout our relationship, he battled with his addiction, managing to abstain the majority of the time, but relapsing every couple of years and sometimes resorting to other drugs.

“Chris was deeply ashamed of his addiction and struggled to talk even to me about it. Very few of his friends and family knew anything about his problems as Chris feared they would think less of him.”

In Barcelona, Chris took small doses of Valium and heroine and died in his sleep.

“The drugs were certainly not pure and Chris would have had no idea of their strength,” continues Aimi.

“I believe that if drugs had been legally regulated, Chris would have received the help he needed from the health system and would not have needed to take the impure drugs that ultimately caused his death.

“I want his death to not be in vain – it’s such a waste of life that could have been saved. I’m angry with the Government, not with him because I know the sort of person he was and he really fought it.

“Anyone can go down the route of addiction – it could happen to anyone. Legal reform could protect children and members of your family. It would mean that people would know what’s in the drugs they are taking.”

Aimi joined other family members whose lives have been wreaked by drugs through campaign group Anyone’s Child, which calls for reforms so drugs are taken out of the hands of criminals and users are able to seek the help they need.

“I refuse to let my daughter grow up believing her father was anything less than a beautiful, witty, truly brilliant man who had an illness. This wasn’t a choice for Chris. That’s why I’m supporting the Anyone’s Child campaign – to help fight for safer drug control,” she adds.

Campaigners pictured in front of the Jamaica Street mural. Photo by Cara Lavan

The fight for drugs reform has been taken up by Bristol West MP Thangam Debbonaire and high profile figures, including former undercover cop Neil Woods, but campaigners are frustrated that the Government does not appear to be listening.

This week of action, organised by Transform and Anyone’s Child, hopes to shed light on the issue and bring about the change they say is badly needed.

Benoit Bennett, the artist known as Object, created the mural in collaboration with Transform and Anyone’s Child

For anyone interested in being involved, an activist training session will take place on Saturday, October 7 from 11am-2pm in Transform’s HQ on King Street.

Read more: ‘We need a drugs policy that reduces harm and risk’