not just your city.

Sorry Paddy, I didn’t mean to sound selfish about it, it’s just Cork never had a big problem with heroin until very recently but I would equate the problem now to being as bad as the 80′s in inner city Dublin. But you’re right it’s not just Cork.

They just can not see how dangerous the stuff is . They know but can not see that they are part of the statistics. Also the money to be made from the stuff is as big a lure as the stuff itself .
What to do?

Will kill them more slowly i guess.

Well put.

Agree

the best way to help the family is to help the addict. if they turn there life around the family’s will be happy. if you ignore the problem it won’t go away.

@Padraig- You people haven’t a clue, I wouldn’t put you in charge of a stick!

since Chicago in ’68. Cleanest shit I eva seen, brotha

I understand the reasoning behind people looking for the legalization of drugs. Tax revenue, cut out the dealer and thus reduce crime.

But I give you these points to consider.

Look at the amount of money criminal gangs are making from black market products ie cigerattes, alcohol, diesel. Legalization will not stop criminality. If the state provider sells it do € 20 a deal and its sold for €10 on the black market which do you think the addict will go for.

And it would only really work of every country legalised it.

Actually Cormac, Spain changed it’s attitude to drugs over 10 years ago and a lot could be learned from their experience.

What you have mentioned is legalisation but the other alternative (and the direction Spain has gone) is decriminalisation coupled with genuine effort to treat addiction as the illness that it is.

I know the idea of decriminalisation or legalisation is actually hard to take in for a lot of people but it’s very easy to find out information on Spain’s experience which has been a positive one (which includes the benefit of being able to more accurately monitor the problem).

The only excuse for calling them animals is a complete lack of understanding that the behaviour is driven by the addiction. I hope you never know an addict.

LOL @ Dale thinking he’s a man of the world, and has the simple/obvious answers to all social issues – it’s so black and white, eh Dale? What a naive, pompus, knowitall you are. You haven’t a clue – live a little first – then your opinion might someday be based on experience instead of ignorance.

@Dale born with a silver spoon in your mouth were you ? certainly sounds like you were.

Ya the alcoholics I take in are as reliable as swiss watches so they are. Not to mention the gambling addicts I board with. What an absolutely ridiculous comment to make!

So what? I personally know two three people that an herion addict/s for parents and they grew up (the hard way) to be good honest people that contribute to society. There is no excuse for it unless they were held down and forced to take it. Everyone knows what will happen to them if they took this filth.

So what? You know two or three ppl that grew up ok, fair enough, but is everyone that lucky. The suggestion that everyone takes it for the craic and of their own free will is spoken by people who have no idea what they are talking about. What about alcoholics, smokers, obese people, gamblers etc etc, will we throw them to the wolves too and spread them as fertiliser in Dales perfect little fairy land? Cause if we do throw everyone with a problem to the wolves I think you’ll find there won’t be many left. In my opinion, Dale and ppl with his opinion are a bigger threat to society than a heroin addict. A heroin addict injects the poison, he and his type broadcast it and influence opinions of those younger than he!

When I was about 16 I used to be in dublin taking all sorts of shit and i still remember being offered heroin one day. I had the sence to turn it down havent taken anything for a few years now and couldnt be happier. i HATE drugs with a passion because I know first hand what it can do to people.

I grew up in a very similar situation. I too had the same sense, but the world is not filled with you and me ffs! Do ppl honestly think an addict first injects so they can wander around the streets for the rest of their lives, not eating for days, strung out of their minds? There’s a disconnect and a lack of empathy and understanding that is beyond juvenile and is quite disturbing!

Look its as simple as this. I think if you dont have the sense to stay away from that stuff the same as you would about stepping out onto the M50 then Darwin really did hit the nail on the head.
My main problem with them is not that they destroy there own lifes (actually couldnt care less), it’s the misery they bring on the people around them and the general public.

You are an incredible human being I must say, never to have made a mistake in your life. You should write a book and tell us all how to be the perfect human being – ie. flawless unemphatic robot! Once again I pray that none of your loved ones are ever addicts!

How ironic, a country with one of the most unhealthy relationships with the most harmful drugs on the planet – alcohol are getting all self righteous about a drug they don’t understand.

Well I’m all for trying to break the cycle of addiction and for helping those that seek help but if some junkie threatens me or some other innocent person then my sympathy is out the window. If I have problems and deal with it by inflicting violence or crime on someone else it’s still my responsibility and my tough shit. You could spend all day making excuses for people but I find it hard to care when I see them out on the streets. The way they carry on is horrible. Maybe they had some bad luck but when they hang around across from heuston station openly selling their methadone for heroin while roaring and shouting, harassing passers by while their unfortunate kids look on I don’t feel sympathy (maybe I should?), I just feel disgusted. Lived three doors up from sunshine house for four years and they eroded any sympathy I might have had.

But thats my point Gearoid, I am not claiming to be some sort of saint like. I too see the junkies in my local city, being abusive towards people etc. I am not saying you should feel sorry for them all the time, I am just noting how vile it is that not alone, that in death ppl are not showing any empathy towards them but some are actually celebrating?

that’s the only real solution to the drugs problem.

So stephan who will pay for the free drugs? You , me and every other person that doesnt put this shit into their bodies? I cant see Adam and Paul working 9 to 5 to fund their habits.
Also if we legalised it and gave it out for nothing we would have every brass monkey in Europe here within a week.

Felix, how misinformed you are. You’re already paying for free drugs, it’s called methadone! And it doesn’t even work!

@felix and others like him, Lets keep things as they are and that’ll solve the problems. What are you all paying in taxes for crime, social welfare etc. and It’s not working. A system like the one I proposed can be done, the addict pays for the drug, needles etc. and is housed in a self contained unit under supervision. Only Irish citizens, can avail of the service, you’ll be offered treatment to come off it and clean up your act. The same should be done for prostitution, clinics and health officers supervising it and it taxed etc. All this would put drug dealers and pimps out of business and clean up the streets. Either that or let things go on as they are?

haha u trol eryone!

@kitty I was talking about one of the posts above. I’m wondering where your personal reflections are at responding with that kind of language? Some personal care is needed kitty :D

That must be true, you used caps.

What a poor excuse for a human being you are.

You obviously have no comprehension of the complexity of addiction.
I think you’d be surprised at the number of “functioning” drug addicts there are yet many assume that such problems extend only to what may be perceived as “undesirables”.

Real nice attitude to have – Thanking God that people who have major problems have died and following on with a supremely exclusionary suggestion.

Sean, you may think you’re being clever with a comment like that but you clearly have no idea about the types of lives that are lost to drugs. Just pray none of your loved ones are ever are so unfortunate as to end up addicts.

@sean stupid talk, these guys hads families and people deeply hurt by their passing, a shame they had to go the way they did,

Sean – you obviously have never heard of “for the grace of god”? I only hope none of your family now or in future generations never suffer from drug abuse or addiction?

most addicts are a problem for the family’s, stealing anything they get their hands on. Nobody forced them to turn to brainless zombies

A bit harsh there Sean,our young people are having their lives destroyed because the really is nothing for them to do in the cities.These are mostly from poor backgrounds,whose parents come from the same.They do not know better.I think they should be given a choice to give up( the hard way )and if they fail to go straight,then they should be sent to …….. ahem,paradise.But they should be made to work whilst there,to pay for the stuff.Why should we?It is these drug users who are to blame for a huge portion of petty crime,and we would be better off if they were locked up(in paradise).One day we will wake up and realise this as a people.I hate to sound like hitler,but they should be sterilised as it is,and definitely prior to going to paradise.They are non productive sponging wasters of oxygen,who only cause grief to EVERYONE,including themselves.Anyone who disregards their future so should have their future denied them,including their potential to multiply the problem.

Seans attitude epitmoises a lot of people these days. Everyman or woman out for themselves without a thought of compassion for the less fortunate. Sure it was only last week that college students in Dublin City were caught pissing all over a homeless person. Its no surprise the world is the state it is and the worrying thing is that this problem is growing by the day.

That’s your Final Solution, is it, Dale? Shame on you.

Yes, Dale, you do sound like Hitler. I hope for your sake that you and those who think as you do never find out what you’re talking about.

If it was a member of ur family, I am shure u would not talk like that!!! People have problems with drugs the same as other people have other sort of problems, seems u have one so why don’t you make us a favour and get out of the way too???

Go to hell!

Sean
I feel sorry for you .

Guys you are supposed to ignore trolls, that’s the etiquette that’s evolving. Especially those that sign anon.

Human takes highly toxic and illegal substance and then dies! What a shock!

On a more distressing point, I have seen too many innocent children taken into care as a result of drugs. The supply should be laced with contraceptive. If you want to take drugs that’s fine, but you shouldn’t be allowed to have kids at the same time.

Addiction is a symptom of the society we live in today and its attitudes like yours show how sick it is. When you see people get clean or stabilised it
would amaze you the real people they are:)

@Paddy Fagan: I work with recovered heroin addicts you smartarse. Thing is, most of their children are still in the care of the HSE and irreparably damaged. Shows how much you know you tool.

@Kitty Remind me never to send any addict to your centre so. Knowing social workers and treatment pros I find your attitude disturbing and far from the norm.

#Diarmaid: My experience of social workers is completely contrary to yours. Are suggesting that it is a good thing to expose children to drugs, drug abuse and the mental, emotional and physical neglect that goes hand in hand with that?

Don’t twist my words now Kitty! Where did I ever say that is ok? I am merely pointing out how vile it is that people celebrate and mock the death of two young people! Everyone makes mistakes and bad choices, some more than others, you more than anyone should know what a hold heroin takes on people and understand that it’s not the person acting out, but the drug! A bit of empathy for very ill people wouldn’t go astray when working with them! What I find ironic about your argument is you claim to work with ex addicts and bemoan the fact that they drag their kids down with them. I am all for taking kids off addicts and in some instances sterilising them, but its people in your practice that refuse to take the children off them, yet bemoan the scenarios they grow up in, not recognising that the addict themselves is probably an addict because of being raised in a similar fashion.

@Diarmaid: I neither celebrated nor mocked the death of these people. What do you know of what I do apart from the small snippet that I have provided you with? You are absolutely incorrect in your assertions. I recognise that many addicts are the children of addicts which is why I feel that prevention is better than cure and that addicts should not have children. The fact that you find my attitude disturbing very much demonstrates that you do not have a clear understanding of what my attitude is, and are clearly confusing it with the attitude of some other contributor. Many of the points that you have made in no way correlate to my output.

I never said yousaid those things, I was merely pointing out my wider point. Read my comment again and you might come to grips with that. On your other point you don’t think the following line is a tad insensitive to families organising funerals this morning:

“Human takes highly toxic and illegal substance and then dies! What a shock!”

And you work with addicts yes? Maybe if thats your response to two deaths, a change of career is worth considering!

Why reply to me harping on about your own “wider” points? I read your reply which went off at your own tangent. You have no idea what I do.

I’m not engaging with you any further as you have consistently failed to address the relevant issues that I raised and so there is no point in wasting any more of my time. Now, I’m off to feed the ducks.