Young people increasingly taking ‘fashionable’ drugs like cocaine
Fine Gael Seanad Drugs Spokesman Senator Jerry Buttimer has today (Tuesday) called for the State’s drug education programmes to be overhauled in the wake of the terrible cocaine incident in Waterford, and said there is a clear need for a targeted cocaine awareness campaign.
“The incident in Waterford which has left two young men hospitalised shows the awful consequences of taking cocaine. It is alarming that cocaine use has become fashionable, particularly among the young. Cocaine has infiltrated all sectors of society, from professionals to young people in school or college. That view must be dispelled by adopting a new approach to Ireland’s growing drug culture.
“Young people must be made to realise that there is only one guaranteed consequence of taking drugs: you will do harm to yourself. The Waterford case is tragic confirmation that drugs have no quality control. Drug barons and dealers are only interested in making money and do not care about the consequences for those who take drugs.
“This calls for a two-strand approach involving education and early intervention schemes in the community. The Government’s current educational programmes are not working as effectively as they should. There has been no systematic review of the effect of public awareness campaigns and these must be immediately overhauled. At the same time the Government must launch a nationwide awareness campaign focusing on the potentially lethal consequences of taking cocaine.”