SPARE a thought, today, for all those people who find themselves mourning the lonely death of drug addict Jason Tandy in a Worcester railway station toilet.

His grieving parents are heart-broken, losing a son as well as a grandson in two, short years, having done as much as they could to repair the damage of Jason's addiction.

The tragedy is traumatic for the city's St Paul's Hostel too. Managers there had shown him the door a few days before because he'd broken the centre's rules on drug use.

No one should stake a claim to the moral high ground, however, celebrating - as some might - the fact that there's one less junkie to worry about.

For the spiral which funnelled Jason to his early death is one of society's making, and one which society could solve if it had the will.

Eight days ago, this column was written off the back of a warning that the streets of Worcester were swamped with drugs being sold by dealers asking supermarket-style loss-leader prices.

We suggested then that there wasn't one person in our community - journalist, politician, teacher, parent - who can claim the problem has nothing to do with them. Today's story bears out the fact that, where drugs are concerned, there are only losers.

Jason's mother's view is that the person who sold him the fatal dose of drugs has killed her youngest child. As surely as if that person had held a gun to his head, she's right. Remember, that person could be walking the streets of the Faithful City as you read these words.

Mrs Tandy's plea to other parents is powerful, if unsurprising.

"Parents need to talk to their children... I still sit here blaming myself," she says. "Drugs can completely destroy a family."

Jason Tandy's funeral is being held on Thursday.

There's nothing more we need to add.