The Times launches new podcast series - Poison

Wednesday 26th April 2023: The Times has today launched a new three-part podcast series - Poison - which exposes the harrowing investigation into the suicide of a young British student that can be traced back to a website run by a man in Toronto, Canada.

In this exclusive series, James Beal, Social Affairs Editor at The Times, works alongside the father of 22-year-old Tom Parfett, who died by suicide, to uncover the troubling truth about the person in Toronto and his involvement in providing a substance that is being used by young, vulnerable adults in the UK to take their own lives.

James tracks down Kenneth Law - the man behind the website -  and confronts him in a shocking interview over his unethical business and the fact that young people have died after taking his product.

The podcast also features wider discussions about how young people can be prevented from taking their own lives.

James Beal, Social Affairs Editor at The Times, said: “This case has been one of the most intriguing and tricky stories I've ever covered as a journalist. I hope this podcast is impactful in raising important questions about the dangers of unregulated online activity and the devastating consequences it can have on individuals and their families.” 

This new podcast series is available today on the Stories of our times feed. It is produced by the Stories of our times production team, which is behind other notable podcasts such as Who Killed CJ Davis?, Seventeen Years: The Andrew Malkinson story, and Last Man Standing.