‘Rampant’ drug culture amongst youths discussed at JPC meeting
THE LEVEL of drug-taking amongst young people was raised by Cllr George Lawlor at the recent Joint Policing Committee with the Wexford-based councillor saying that the practice was ‘rampant’ in communities.
Cllr Lawlor remarked that taking cocaine and ‘ blow’ now seemed to form part of a weekly Saturday night out and the stories he had heard were quite shocking.
He remarked that a lot of good young people were being embroiled in drug-taking and were being radically changed by their actions.
‘We’re seeing young lives turned upside down by this and I wonder if it’s possible to bring all community organisations together to tackle what is becoming a scourge. I had one mother who spoke to me about some of the things her son had told her and the details are shocking.’
He wondered if some kind of forum could be set up to address the issue.
Chief Supt John Roche said that a lot of this recreational drug use was done in private.
He said: ‘I know what’s going on but there isn’t a lot of information coming from communities on it and we need that. It’s very difficult to catch people dealing and even the grounds to search are very high.’
He added that the drugs unit currently had eight officers working in it.
Cllr Pip Breen agreed with his council colleague, pointing out that education through schools was vital, adding his belief that a combination of drugs and cheap alcohol was fueling other crime such as domestic violence.
‘ The two together is a deadly cocktail.’
Cllr Davy Hynes added that a lot drugs were being purchased on the internet and voiced his concern that people driving while under the influence of these drugs were ‘ lethal on the roads’.