'This is what one tiny pill can do to you': Teen who was left in a wheelchair with slurred speech after taking ecstasy releases video of how her life has changed

  • Amy Thomson, 16, collapsed at 'ecstasy party' at a Glasgow house in June
  • She was left in a critical condition and spent one month on a life support 
  • Her family have released video which shows how far schoolgirl has come
  • It also shows the devastating effect the 'tiny pill' had on her brain and body

By Steph Cockroft for MailOnline

Published: 03:08 EST, 10 September 2015 | Updated: 11:25 EST, 10 September 2015

The family of a 16-year-old girl who was left in a coma after taking MDMA have released a video showing how the teenager's life has been altered beyond recognition.

Amy Thomson's life was dramatically changed after she collapsed at an 'ecstasy party' at a house in Glasgow in June.

The 16-year-old was left in a critical condition and spent weeks fighting for her life at Glasgow South hospital, as her loved ones kept a bedside vigil.

Amy Thomson's family have released a video of the teenager which shows how her life has changed beyond recognition
She took MDMA at a house party in Glasgow in June this year

'Eye-opener': Amy Thomson's family have released a video of the teenager that shows how her life has changed beyond recognition after taking MDMA at a house party in Glasgow

They have now released a video that shows how far the schoolgirl has come since waking up from a coma - but also the devastating effects that the 'tiny pill' has had on her brain and body.

The footage, which her cousin described as an 'eye-opener', shows Amy sat in a garden in her wheelchair, before slurring the words: 'Thank you, thank you everyone'. She also lifts her hand and gives the camera a slow wave.

Despite the drug seriously damaging the young girl's brain, Amy's family believe that, with the continued help of medics, she can continue to make progress.

After posting the video on a support page for the teenager, her cousin Kalya wrote: 'Some people may have cried, laughed or been shocked seeing the video. But this is what a tiny pill can do to you.

'If this isn't an eye-opener for everyone who continues to take stuff, I dunno what is.'  

Some of Amy's friends, who had not seen her since she collapsed at the house party, welcomed the video but said it had upset them to see Amy in such a different way. 

Kayla replied: 'Amy won't be like this for the rest of her life. She's getting the best care and support. 

The 16-year-old (pictured before she fell ill) was left in a critical condition
She spent weeks fighting for her life at Glasgow South hospital

The 16-year-old (pictured left and right before she fell ill) was left in a critical condition and spent weeks fighting for her life at Glasgow South hospital

Despite the drug damaging the young girl's brain and body, Amy's family believe that, with the continued help of medics, she can continue to make progress. She is pictured before the incident in June 

Despite the drug damaging the young girl's brain and body, Amy's family believe that, with the continued help of medics, she can continue to make progress. She is pictured before the incident in June 

'What you are seeing is amazing compared to the way she was a few weeks ago. She's improved in many amazing ways. She still has many improvements to show us all.' 

Amy was taken to hospital on June 10 from a party in the Knightswood area of the city with three other girls aged 15, 17 and 18, amid fears they had taken the drug. 

MDMA: THE PARTY DRUG 

MDMA - also known as ecstasy - is a party drug that came into widespread use in the 1980s when taking it was linked to raves and dance music.

The Class A drug comes in powder and pill form, with its effects including euphoria, a sense of intimacy with others and diminished anxiety and depression.

Research has suggested long-term changes to emotional states and behaviour have been triggered by consumption of the drug, which affects chemical receptors in the brain.

The synthetic stimulant triggers the release of dopamine, the chemical that controls the nervous system, producing a massive increase in heart rate and blood pressure. This can prove fatal. 

Campaigners believe that ecstasy poses a real risk of triggering brain damage. They have argued that it can induce memory loss, decrease cognitive performance and has long-lasting effects on behaviour. 

The others were soon discharged but  Amy was critically ill. She stayed on life support for around a month. 

Doctors then slowly stabilised Amy and she regained consciousness. She was moved last month to a specialist rehabilitation unit for people with brain injuries. 

A 33-year-old man and two women, aged 17 and 18, were arrested for alleged drug offences. The Crown Office said the report remains under consideration. 

Police and doctors have repeatedly warned the public about the threat posed by MDMA.

In July, a mother whose 15-year-old accidentally consumed a fatal half-gram of MDMA called for drugs to be legalised.

Martha Fernback, from the Summertown area of Oxford, suffered a cardiac arrest in July 2013 after unknowingly taking a 91 per cent pure dose of the drug - almost double the average street purity.

According to her internet history, the GCSE student carefully researched the risks on Google before purchasing a relatively expensive version of the white powder. But, just two hours after taking the £40 drug, Martha died from a cardiac arrest.

Her bereft mother Anne-Marie Cockburn believes her daughter could still be alive if regulations were in place and has now joined a campaign calling for drugs to be legalised.  

She released a heartbreaking video calling for a change in the law so that users can make an 'informed decision' about taking the substance. 

She said: 'Under legal regulation the ingredients will be listed and information would be provided to enable people to make a more informed decision.

'Had Martha had that option, it could have been the difference between what happened to her and her still being alive today.'

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