Trainspotting
Adapted & Directed by Harry Gibson
From the novel by Irvine Welsh
REP Insight
By Cathy Rollins
Education Administrator, Birmingham Repertory Theatre
Contents
Page
03
05
06
07
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10
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14
16
18
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About Irvine Welsh
Irvine Welsh Bibliography
About Trainspotting
Trainspotting: synopsis of the play
Who’s Who in Trainspotting
Drugs information – Alcohol
Drugs information – Heroin
Drugs information – Speed
Drugs information – Ecstasy
Ideas for class discussion
Useful websites
This resource pack was produced with additional material supplied by Guy
Chapman Associates, London and Fishburn Hedges, London
http://www.g-c-a.co.uk/
http://www.fishburn-hedges.co.uk/
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About Irvine Welsh
Work
Born in 1961 in Leith, Irvine Welsh left school to become an electrical
repairman. He left Scotland to set up a punk band in London in 1978 but
returned to Edinburgh to study for an MBA in the ‘80s. From 1991 he started
writing and a number of magazines printed his short stories and writings that
would later find their way into his most famous work.
Welsh's first novel, Trainspotting, was published in 1993. Set in the mid1980s, it uses a series of loosely-connected short stories to tell the story of a
group of characters tied together by decaying friendships, heroin addiction
and stabs at escape from the oppressive boredom and brutality of their lives in
the housing schemes. It was released to shock and outrage in some circles
and massive acclaim in others; Time Out called it "funny, unflinchingly
abrasive, authentic and inventive", and The Sunday Times called Welsh "the
best thing that has happened to British writing for decades". One critic went so
far as to say that Trainspotting "deserves to sell more copies than The Bible."
Trainspotting was adapted as a play, and a film adaptation, directed by Danny
Boyle and written by John Hodge, was released in 1996. Welsh himself
appeared in the film as Mikey Forrester, a minor character. The film was also
a massive worldwide success. U.S. Senator Bob Dole decried its moral
depravity and glorification of drug use during the 1996 presidential campaign,
although he admitted that he had not actually seen the film (or, presumably,
read the book).
Next, Welsh released The Acid House, a darkly funny collection of short
stories from Rebel Inc., New Writing Scotland and other sources. Many of the
stories take place in and around the housing schemes from Trainspotting, and
employ many of the same themes; however, a touch of fantasy is apparent in
stories such as The Acid House, where the minds of a baby and a drug user
magically swap bodies, or The Granton Star Cause, where God transforms a
man into a fly as punishment for wasting his life. Welsh himself adapted three
of the stories for a later film.
Welsh's third book (and second novel), Marabou Stork Nightmares, marked a
new maturity in his work. It alternates between a typically grim tale of thugs
and schemes in sub-working class Scotland and a hallucinatory adventure
tale set in South Africa. Gradually, common themes begin to emerge between
the two stories, culminating in an ending that is certainly one of the most
shocking things Welsh has ever written.
His next book, Ecstasy: Three Tales of Chemical Romance (1996) became
his most high-profile work since Trainspotting, released in the wave of
publicity surrounding the film. It consists of three unconnected novellas: the
first is a bawdy satire of classic British romance novels, the second a revenge
story involving the chemical Thalidomide, and the third a sly, subtle romance
between a young woman dissatisfied with the confines of her suburban life
and an aging club-goer. Most critics dismissed the first two as relatively minor
affairs and focused their praise on the third. Welsh's narration imbued both
characters with surprising warmth, and the story avoided the easy, predictable
pro-ecstasy / pro-drug conclusions that some might have expected from his
work.
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A corrupt police officer and his tapeworm served as the narrators for his third
novel, Filth (1998). Welsh had never avoided flawed characters, but the main
character of Filth was a brutally vicious sociopath on the level of
Trainspotting's Frank Begbie. His tapeworm was perhaps the most
sympathetic character, a classic Welsh inversion in an otherwise remarkably
bleak novel.
Glue (2001) was a return to the locations, themes and episodic form of
Trainspotting, telling the stories of four characters spanning several decades
in their lives and the bonds that held them together. Having revisited some of
them in passing in Glue, Welsh brought most of the Trainspotting characters
back for a sequel, Porno, in 2002.
Welsh has made several reading tours around the world, and has been
involved with his beloved house music as a DJ, promoter and producer. Like
many of his characters, he passionately supports Hibs.
Themes
Welsh is often pigeonholed as a writer whose work concentrates on drug use.
However, most of his fiction and non-fiction is dominated by the question of
working class and Scottish identity in the period spanning the ‘60s to the
present day. Within this, he explores the rise and fall of the council housing
scheme, denial of opportunity, sectarianism, football, hooliganism, sex,
suppressed homosexuality, dance clubs, low paid work, freemasonry, Irish
republicanism, sodomy, class divisions, emigration, and perhaps most of all,
the humour, prejudices and axioms of the Scottish.
Style
His novels share a number of characters, giving the feel of a "shared
universe" within his writing. For example, members from the cast of
Trainspotting make cameo appearances in The Acid House and Marabou
Stork Nightmares, and slightly larger appearances in Glue, whose characters
then appeared in Porno.
Irvine Welsh is known for writing mostly, but not exclusively, in his native
Edinburgh Scots dialect. He generally transcribes dialects phonetically,
ignoring traditional orthographic practices. Although many authors have
attempted to capture working class Scottish vernacular, it has proved
notoriously difficult to reproduce in print. In this respect, much like James
Joyce and the Dublin of his time, Welsh is the master. Non-Scottish readers
may have difficulty deciphering the language, and will likely miss some of the
impact and references to football, sectarianism and Scottish everyday life in
his work. For that reason, some international editions of his books have
included brief glossaries at the end.
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Irvine Welsh Bibliography
Trainspotting (1993)
The Acid House (1994)
Marabou Stork Nightmares (1995)
Ecstasy: Three Tales of Chemical Romance (1996)
Filth (1998)
Glue (2001)
Porno (2002)
You'll Have Had Your Hole (drama)
Dose (half Hour BBC drama written with Dean Cavanagh)
The Acid House (screenplay)
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About Trainspotting
The Novel
Trainspotting (1993) is the first novel by Irvine Welsh.
Originally a collection of loosely related short
stories, it revolves around a group of heroin addicts
in Leith and Edinburgh and is set in the mid to late
1980s; it charts the first phase of the HIV epidemic
as well as exploring the broader social conditions of
Margaret Thatcher's Britain. Its tone ranges from
cynical black comedy to visceral horror to genuine
empathy for its characters. Porno, a sequel, was
published in 2002.
The novel was nominated for the Booker Prize.
The Play
Harry Gibson’s Trainspotting was first produced in 1994 in the studio at the
Glasgow Citizens Theatre, directed by Ian Brown. It then received an
Edinburgh fringe production, then toured before playing at the Bush Theatre.
In 1996 the play enjoyed a sell-out run at the Ambassadors Theatre and a
transfer to the Whitehall Theatre in the West End. The play has since been
performed in many different ways all over the world.
In 1995 Trainspotting won the Sunday Times Regional Award for Best New
Play and the TMA Award for Best New Play.
Written for just four actors, who take all the parts, the play is incredibly faithful
to the book, and uses much of its dialogue.
The Film
Adapted by John Hodges and directed by
Danny Boyle, Trainspotting (1996) starred
Ewan McGregor (as Mark Renton), Ewen
Bremner (as Spud Murphy), Jonny Lee Miller
(as Sick Boy), Kevin McKidd (as Tommy),
Robert Carlyle (as Begbie) and Kelly
Macdonald (as Diane). Irvine Welsh also has
a brief appearance, as drug dealer Mikey
Forrester.
The movie received a nomination for Best
Adapted Screenplay in that year's Academy
Awards. In 1999 the film came 10th in a BFI
poll of British films, while in 2004 the
magazine Total Film named it the 4th
greatest British film of all time.
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Trainspotting: Synopsis of the play
Act one
Mark Renton tells us of the morning he woke up in his ex-girlfriend’s parents’
house, having heavily soiled the bedclothes.
Tommy Murphy tells Mark a story of how his ex-girlfriend’s attempt to try anal
sex went disastrously wrong.
Mark introduces us to his psychotic friend Franco (Begbie)
Franco walks out on his pregnant girlfriend June
Tommy steps in to defend a girl in a pub, with unexpected results.
The famous “Choose Life” speech: Mark admits his heroin addiction.
Mark and Simon (Sick Boy) get a taxi to their dealer’s flat. Arriving at Johnny
the dealer’s, Mark and Simon shoot up with Alison. Seen through Mark’s eyes,
this is a highly eroticised ritual. Alison and Simon leave the room to have sex,
only to find that Alison’s baby is dead in her cot. They are too scared to call
the police or an ambulance, so shoot up again.
Mark tells of his attempt to stop taking heroin and what happened with his
opium suppositories.
Mark and Tommy reflect on the futility of life and where they find consolation.
Mark introduces Tommy to heroin. Tommy tells of how Lizzie dumped him
because he spent money on a concert ticket rather than her birthday present.
Alison arrives with ecstasy tablets. The group engage in sexual horse-play,
having persuaded Mark not to kill a squirrel for kicks.
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Trainspotting: Synopsis continued
Act two
Mark reflects on the fate of his brother Billy, who has been killed while on duty
in Northern Ireland. He tells of how, after the funeral, his Uncle Charlie
threatens to beat him up for being a junkie and what happens when he has
sex with Billy’s pregnant girlfriend in the toilet.
Mark has been delivered to his parents after overdosing. Mark’s mother tries
to help him kick heroin but he fits and ends up in a coma in hospital. Franco
tells Mark of the time they picked up a couple of tourists on the train to
London.
Alison tells of how she “spoils” the food of a group of offensive customers
whilst working as a waitress in a restaurant.
Mark, Franco and Tommy meet in the pub. Tommy asks if he’s carrying any
drugs, but Mark says he’s now clean. They reflect on the death of Alison’s
baby and whether she has HIV.
Tommy is very ill. He asks Mark if his HIV test was clear. Mark affirms. Mark is
doubtful Tommy will survive the winter.
Alison tells how she and Lizzie stand up to some abusive scaffolders and
meet some lesbian back-packers.
Mark and Franco are in the old Leith Central station where a drunk asks them
if they’re trainspotters. Franco identifies the drunk as his father and the lads
urinate on him.
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Who’s Who in Trainspotting
A cast of four play all the roles.
Cast: Brian Alexander, Laura Harvey, Peter Milne, Ruaraidh Murray
Characters:
Franco (Begbie)
Alison
Mark Renton
Tommy Murphy
Simon (Sick Boy)
Johnny Swan
Mark’s parents
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Drugs Information
(all the following information relating to drugs and drug use can be found on
the Talk to Frank website: http://www.talktofrank.com/)
Alcohol
What is it?
Alcohol can play a major part in many people's social lives. That's why it's
easy to forget that it's actually a very powerful drug. Technically speaking, it's
a depressant which means it slows down your body's responses in all kinds of
ways. Just enough can make you feel great, too much and it's all over.
Names: You've heard them all before - booze, bevy, and pop.
What does it look like?
Alcohol comes in all kinds of forms. From the hard stuff - spirits like whisky
and vodka - to the Alcopops and mixers that seem innocent but actually
contain more alcohol by volume than beer or cider.
How much does it cost?
From own brand lagers to rare single malts, you can pay as much or as little
as you like for Britain's favourite drug.
What’s in it?
Because it's legal and sold only in licensed premises, most alcohol is
unadulterated by anything very nasty. It's more likely that someone will try to
put something in your drink like Rohypnol or GHB.
What effect does it have?
Like most drugs, alcohol will exaggerate whatever mood you're in when you
start drinking. So if you're on a bit of a downer when you hit the pub, you
might just stay that way. Alcohol is a relaxant so in moderation it can reduce
feelings of anxiety, reduce inhibitions and make you feel more sociable.
It takes your body an hour to process one unit of alcohol. So it doesn't take a
genius to work out that if you're downing them like there's no tomorrow, your
body won't be able to cope. And you'll end up plastered.
One too many can strip you of your dignity. Slurring your words, loss of
balance and vomiting are just some of the effects that you may want to avoid.
Especially if you're trying to impress. Time is the only thing that will help you
process alcohol. Even a bathful of black coffee isn't going to sober you up if
you've overdone it.
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Official guidelines recommend no more than 3-4 units a day for adult men, 2-3
for adult women. One unit is half a pint of beer, lager or cider. One small glass
of table wine. Or a 25ml measure of spirits.
How Addictive is it?
If you drink sensibly that's OK, but for some people it can soon get out of
control. Alcoholism is a big problem for some.
What effect does it have?
Dependence on alcohol can creep up on you. Tolerance increases with use
so if you drink on a regular basis, over time you'll need more and more alcohol
to reach the same state. It can make you mouthy, argumentative and
aggressive. So if you discover you're a nasty drunk you'd be wise to rein it in.
Serious overindulgence can lead to alcohol poisoning which could put you in a
coma or even kill you. Long-term use of alcohol has been linked with illnesses
like liver damage, stomach cancer and heart disease.
Is it illegal?
Under 5 - It is illegal to give an alcoholic drink to a child under 5 except in
certain circumstances e.g. under medical supervision.
Under 14 - A person under 14 can't go into a bar or pub unless the pub has a
'children's certificate'. If it doesn't they can only go into parts that aren't
licensed where alcohol is either sold but not drunk (e.g. a sales point away
from the pub), OR drunk but not sold (e.g. a beer garden or family room).
14 or 15 - 14 and 15 year olds can go anywhere in a pub but can't drink
alcohol.
16 or 17 - 16 and 17 year olds can buy (or be bought) beer or cider as long as
it's bought to eat with a meal, but not in a bar (i.e. only in a place specifically
set aside for meals).
Under 18 - Except for 16 and 17 year olds having a meal in a pub, it's against
the law for anyone under 18 to buy alcohol in a pub, off-license or
supermarket. It's also illegal to buy alcohol in a pub for someone who's not 18.
Anyone over 18 can buy and drink alcohol legally in licensed premises in
Britain.
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Heroin
What is it?
Heroin is a natural opiate. It's made from the morphine which comes from the
opium poppy. Like many drugs made from opium, including the synthetic
opioids like methadone, heroin is a very strong painkiller. Heroin sold as
'brown' is sometimes used by clubbers as a chill out after a big night out.
Brown is still heroin; some people mistakenly think it's not as addictive.
Names: Brown, skag, H, horse, gear, smack.
What does it look like?
Heroin comes as a white powder when it's pure such as that used by doctors.
But thanks to the range of substances it's cut with, street heroin can be
anything from brownish white to brown. It can be smoked, snorted or
dissolved in water and injected.
How much does it cost?
Feeding a heroin habit can cost up to £100 a day. Finding the money to fund
a habit is tough and some users turn to crime to get the money they need.
What’s in it?
Heroin is big business. And the more cheap fillers dealers can mix with it to
pad it out, the more cash they'll make. A user has no way of knowing what
their heroin is mixed with. Recent tests have shown it can contain nutmeg,
brick dust, and ground-up gravel.
What effect does it have?
Heroin slows down body functioning and stops physical and psychological
pain. Most users get a rush or buzz a few minutes after taking it. A small dose
of heroin gives the user a feeling of warmth and well-being. Bigger doses can
make the user sleepy and very relaxed. The first dose of heroin can bring
about dizziness and vomiting.
How addictive is it?
Big time even when it's smoked. Heroin is not addictive instantly but over time
the desired effects reduce so much that users have to take more and more
just to get the same effects and even more just to feel 'normal'. Effects on the
brain cause 'craving' and strong psychological and physical dependence.
Drugs have been developed to help treat heroin addiction. These include
substitutes for heroin such as methadone and subutex (bupranorphine) and
also drugs like naltrexone that block the effects of heroin so you can't get a
high.
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What are the risks?
Deaths from overdose do occur. But the risk increases after a period off the
drug because the body's tolerance for the drug goes down. Excessive doses
can lead to coma and even death from respiratory failure. If heroin is taken
with other drugs, including alcohol, overdose is much more likely. Other
‘downers’ such as benzodiazepine tranquillisers are also associated with
heroin overdose deaths. There's a risk of death due to inhaling vomit as
heroin stops the body's cough reflex working properly. Injecting heroin can do
nasty damage to your veins and has been known to lead to gangrene.
The risks of sharing needles and other works to inject are well-known, putting
you in danger of infections like hepatitis B or C and of course HIV/AIDS
Is it illegal?
Heroin is a class A drug. This means that possessing it can lead to a prison
sentence of up to 7 years and an unlimited fine. Supplying (which includes
giving it to a friend) could lead to a life sentence and another unlimited fine.
Fact: Passing drugs among friends is supplying in the eyes of the law.
Fact: A drug conviction could stand between you and your ideal job.
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Speed
What is it?
Speed is the street name for Amphetamine. Like coke it's a stimulant that
people take to keep them awake and alert. It's Britain's least pure illegal drug.
It's often taken along with E.
Names: Amphetamine Sulphate, Phet, Billy, Whizz, Sulph, Base,
Amphetamine, Paste, Dexamphetamine, Dexies, Dexedrine.
What does it look like?
Amphetamines like speed are usually sold in wraps like cocaine. The powder
is off-white or pinkish and can sometimes look like small crystals. Base speed
is purer and is a pinkish-grey colour and feels like putty.
Crystal Meth (Methamphetamine or Methylamphetamine) is processed speed
that looks like off-white rocks or crystals. Both Speed and Crystal Meth are
Amphetamines although Crystal Meth is able to be smoked, it is much
stronger and more likely to lead to dependence.
Prescription amphetamines like dexamphetamine are usually small white pills.
How much does it cost?
Speed usually costs around £8 - £12 per wrap.
What’s in it?
Speed isn't the purest drug on the block. Most of it only contains 5-10%
amphetamine. It can be cut with Vitamin C, caffeine or any other substance so
you don't know what may be in it.
What effect does it have?
Speed makes people feel wide awake, excited and chatty. Clubbers take it
because it gives them the energy to dance for hours without getting
knackered. Speed was once the main ingredient in diet pills because it stops
people feeling hungry.
What are the risks?
It's impossible to sit still or sleep on speed. The come down can make users
feel irritable and depressed and can last for one or two days. Speed makes
some people panicky. Sniff a lot in a short space of time and expect
hallucinations. Speed puts a strain on your heart. It's bad news for people with
high blood pressure or a heart condition. An overdose can be fatal.
The combination of speed and alcohol has been known to be fatal.
Speed can lead to anxiety, depression, irritability and aggression as well as
mental illness such as psychosis and paranoid feelings. Too much sniffing
speed and you're sneezing lumps out of your nose into a hanky.
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Injecting any drug can cause vein damage, ulcers and gangrene. Dirty or
shared needles and injecting works can help the spread of hepatitis and HIV.
Injecting speed is particularly dangerous because it's cut with so many other
things.
Is it illegal?
Speed is a Class B drug - illegal to have, give away or sell. Prepared for
injection Speed becomes a Class A and can get you tougher sentencing if
you're caught with it or selling it. Possession can get you up to five years in jail
and an unlimited fine. Supplying someone else with it can get you up to 14
years and an unlimited fine.
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Ecstasy
What is it?
The original designer drug. Ecstasy shot to fame in the early 90's as the rave
culture took off and clubbers took it to stay awake and dance for hours. An
estimated 500,000* people take it every weekend. There's a lot of controversy
about the long term side effects of E. Some evidence suggests it can damage
the brain causing long term problems.
*Source: www.drugscope.org.uk
Names: E, pills, brownies, burgers, disco biscuits, hug drug, 'Mitsubishis',
'Rolexes', 'Dolphins', XTC.
What does it look like?
Ecstasy sold on the street is usually in tablet form although it's getting more
common to see it sold as powder. E tablets come in all sorts of colours and
some of them have pictures or logos stamped into them.
How much does it cost?
Between £3 and £8 depending on the type of pill you buy and where you live.
What’s in it?
Pure Ecstasy is a white crystalline powder known to chemists as MDMA.
What effect does it have?
E gives people an energy buzz that makes them feel alert and alive. Ecstasy
can take anything between 20 and 60 minutes to kick in. E makes people feel
in tune with their surroundings. Sounds and colours feel more intense. A
certain track of music can suddenly take on a spiritual significance. E also
makes emotions feel more intense. Users often feel great love for the people
they're with and the strangers around them. E taken on its own is not a drug
that makes people violent. Lots of people feel chatty on E. (These chats don't
always make sense to people who aren't on E). E dilates the pupils, produces
a tingling feeling, tightens the jaw muscles, raises the body temperature and
makes the heart beat faster.
How addictive is it?
Ecstasy is not addictive but it is possible to build up a tolerance which means
people take more and more to get the same buzz. You may develop a
psychological dependence.
What are the risks?
There have been over 200 ecstasy related deaths in the UK since 1996.
Some are linked to the way ecstasy controls the body's temperature control
mechanism. E can cause the body's temperature to rise to dangerously high
levels. Add to that a sweaty dancefloor and dehydration and there's the
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potential for 'double heat-stroke'. Some deaths have been linked to other
drugs which have been sold as ecstasy. Using E has also been linked to liver,
kidney and heart problems. Anyone using too much can get paranoid and
depressed as well.
Ecstasy affects the body's temperature control. Dancing for long periods in a
hot atmosphere increases the chances of overheating and dehydration. Make
sure you take regular breaks from the dance floor to cool down, especially if
it's rammed. Watch out for your mates. People can get so out of their faces
they don't realise they're in danger of overheating or getting dehydrated.
Reduce the risks by sipping no more than a pint of water or non-alcoholic fluid
every hour. Be careful - drinking too much can be dangerous or even fatal.
The drug can cause the body to release a hormone which prevents the
production of urine. This means that if you drink a few pints of liquid too
quickly, it interferes with your body's salt balance which can be as deadly as
not drinking enough water.
Some long-term users report getting colds, flu and sore throats more often.
But then staying awake for 24 hours is always going to give your immune
system a battering. There is speculation that the exhaustion and dehydration
associated with E can activate urine infections like cystitis in women. E's can
contain toxic other chemicals like MPTP, a drug known to cause irreversible
Parkinson's disease. It's highly unlikely that many E's have MPTP in them. But
the point is that taking E is a gamble.
Anyone with a heart condition, blood pressure problems, epilepsy or asthma
can have a very dangerous reaction to the drug.
Is it illegal?
Ecstasy is a Class A drug - illegal to have, give away or sell. Possession can
get you up to seven years in jail. Supplying someone else with it can get you
life and an unlimited fine.
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Ideas for Class Discussion
Citizenship Studies & PSHE – Issues for debate
•
Should drugs be legalised and regulated?
o Possible strands of discussion could include whether government
regulation would make drugs safer, the effects of legalisation on crime,
possible healthcare implications of legalisation
•
Does Irvine Welsh’s novel, the film and the play of Trainspotting
serve to ‘glamorise’ drugs and the lifestyle of the characters?
o Possible strands of discussion could include the music used in the film
and the actors in the film and the stage play and what effect the choice
of these have on people’s perception of the events and characters in
the story
•
The original novel is set in the mid 1980’s. To what extent was the
government at the time responsible for creating the drug culture
examined in Trainspotting?
o Possible strands of discussion could include the housing schemes
described in the novel, the city of Edinburgh and its ‘two sides’ (one of
culture and tourism and one of poverty and social problems) and how
the example of Edinburgh can also be applied to other towns and cities
•
The character of Renton makes a powerful and famous speech
explaining his rejection of the ‘norm’ and his chosen path in life:
“Society invents a spurious convoluted logic tae absorb and change
people whae’s behaviour is outside its mainstream. Suppose that ah
ken the pros and cons, know that ah’m gaunnae huv a short life, am
ay sound mind etcetera, etcetera, but still want tae use smack? They
won’t let ye dae it. They won’t let ye dae it, because it’s seen as a
sign ay thir ain failure. The fact that ye jist simply choose tae reject
whit they huv tae offer. Choose us. Choose life. Choose mortgage
payments; choose washing machines; choose cars; choose sitting
oan a couch watching mind-numbing and spirit crushing game
shows, stuffing fuckin junk food intae yir mooth. Choose rotting away,
pishing and shiteing yersel in a home, a total fuckin embarrassment
tae the selfish, fucked-up brats ye’ve produced. Choose life.”
Irvine Welsh, 1993
o Possible strands for discussion could include whether or not students
agree with Renton’s views, and whether this justifies his actions and
those of other characters in the play
o Students could also discuss how Renton’s evident intelligence and
ability to reason challenges the common perceptions and media
representation of drugs and drug users
o Discussion could also centre around Welsh’s writing style, and whether
strong the use of the Edinburgh dialect alienates readers or adds
‘authenticity’ and ‘realism’ to the story
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Useful Websites - Trainspotting
Official Irvine Welsh website:
http://www.irvinewelsh.com/index.php
Useful information and links about the 1993 film:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trainspotting_(movie)
Online copy of the original film screenplay:
http://www.pg.ru/scripts/trainspotting.html
Official website of the stage play:
http://www.trainspottingtheplay.co.uk/
Useful Websites - Drugs
Talk to Frank website:
http://www.talktofrank.com/
BBC Drugs information website:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/crime/drugs/index.shtml
Drugscope website:
http://www.drugscope.org.uk/home.asp
Home Office drugs information website (includes a useful picture
gallery):
http://www.drugs.gov.uk/
Useful Books
Welsh, Irvine; Trainspotting (1994), Minerva
ISBN: 0 7493 9606 7
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