Heroin hell!

up for anything

I always knew by osmosis of media stories that Kilkenny is reputed to have a bad heroin problem but it's been brought home to me. I was speaking to someone today who was telling me about a family member being buried after a heroin overdose and a close friend of that family member, also an addict, committed suicide recently plus another guy also died. 8 year olds taking heroin in the town!! For my money dealing heroin should be punishable by a death sentence. Bastards.

http://www.advertiser.ie/kilkenny/article/28499

Dawn swoops as gardai raid 40 premises in heroin crackdown
KILKENNY ADVERTISER, JULY 09, 2010.
By Naoise Coogan

Heroin dealers in the south-east region were targeted yesterday by 70 Gardai involved in a year-long surveillance operation organised to avert drug dealing in the region.

Some 14 people were arrested following the swoops on over 40 premises in the Carlow Town area and they were taken to Garda stations in Kilkenny, Carlow, Thomastown and Athy for questioning under Section 2 of the Drugs Trafficking Act.

It is understood that at least three of the arrested are female while the suspects range in ages from mid 20s to mid 60s.

The arrests followed months of surveillance and undercover Garda work which saw Gardai posing as drug addicts seeking heroin from the dealers.

Supt Gerry Redmond told the media yesterday afternoon that the operation was very successful and that those arrested would now appear before the courts for heroin-supplying offences.

Gardai from the South Eastern Regional Drugs Unit supported by the Garda National Drugs Unit were involved in the swoops and in the prior month’s operation targeting the sale and supply of heroin in the south-east region.

This is understood to be one of the single biggest Garda operations in the south-east of the country in years.

Speaking to the Kilkenny Advertiser yesterday afternoon following the morning’s dramatic events, Cllr Joe Malone who has a diploma in addiction studies and who works very closely with young people with drug problems in Kilkenny said that this is good news for the whole of the south east region.

“It can only be good if the dealers are caught. It means that they are off the streets. It doesn’t mean that they are gone forever and won’t be replaced but for now the streets are a safer place.”

However, he pointed out that there is no point taking dealers off the streets unless something is done to help those that are addicted to heroin.

patrickc

please if you know heroin users make them aware of this.

http://www.kilkennypeople.ie/news/local/heroin_deaths_epidemic_in_kilkenny_and_carlow_leads_to_warning_1_2399686

Heroin deaths epidemic in Kilkenny and Carlow leads to warning
Published on Thu Feb 10 22:24:42 GMT 2011

THREE Kilkenny men have died in the last six days from drug overdoses. Following the re-emergence of the killer drug heroin on the streets of the city, a community worker has called on addicts to stop injecting themselves.
Pat Connaughton, a drugs out-reach worker with the South East Drugs Task Force and employed by St Vincent de Paul has said that if the addicts are going to use heroin, they should smoke it, a line at a time to gauge its strength. His warning comes after three separate deaths of Kilkenny men, two in the city and one in Dublin from a new batch of the drug that has come via Tallaght in Dublin. A fourth addict in the city committed suicide in the last month - unable to get his hands on heroin.
The first of the victims, will be buried this morning (Friday). Another known addict died in Dublin on Wednesday from an overdose and a third young man was found dead in his bed on Thursday afternoon by his mother close to Kilkenny city centre.
Pat Connaughton has said there has also been an overdose death in Carlow in the past week and that the problem is now an epidemic He explained the drug has been off the streets for the last number of months because of a supply problem but that a new batch of the drug, which is believed to have came from Afghanistan, is so pure that it is killing users. “They are not used to this strength and it is simply too much for their system,” Mr Connaughton said. He works two and a half days a week in Kilkenny city and the rest of the time in Carlow town.
People can ring Pat Connaughton at 085-7888326

catbear

I am shocked and saddened.

Heart breaking for family members and it is a truly evil drug.Agree with 'up for anything' that people dealing this drug should be punishable by death.Unfortunately like everything else in this country,there are not enough resources to tackle this issue and it will get worse.Ordinary people will also feel the repercussions of this problem too,as easy money dries up in the country,crime will undoubtedly rise as they try to feed their habit.

Dr.Sanchez

I went to school with one of them, he had always been in trouble during school years.

Met him on the bus to dublin a few months ago and he told me all his stories about being in and out of prison and the drug abuse, etc. Can't really remember much but I remember when he was finished he just said: "Well... Thats the road I took" almost like he regretted it.

The town needs help alright..!!

Threadhead

It's a sad state of affairs.

It's tough times for a lot of families at the moment. The effects of heroin has been evident in Kilkenny for the past couple of years and it seems like there's been a huge surge in deaths in recent days. Apparently there's been a shortage since before Christmas and recently a bad batch got introduced to Kilkenny which has been causing havoc.

You'd really hope that current users would be scared clean from recent events.

Asphyxia

Jesus that's terrible!

ft9

141_Oscar_Mike wrote: »

I remember an old friend of mine died from it a few years ago. You would think these users would learn. Obviously not.

I don't think its a matter of users learning. I'ts an addiction.

The majority of users I'm sure would rather had they never touched it in the first place.

patrickc

I'm the Pat Connaughton from the article above and do/have worked with all these users.

I'm in a state of shock here around this, just cant believe it.

Can people who posted names of the deceased remove them though out of respect for the families? I know some of the families do not want their childrens deaths associated with drugs.

out of respect and dignity for the deceased I think it's only fair.

Maxiebaby

It's been a big problem in Kilkenny for years but it's got so out of control, most of the ppl I hung around with are now dealing or taking it, just back from one funeral... and hearing rumors 6 more have been taken into hospital and 2 dead.... :eek: unconfirmed but just wondering if anyone else has heard?.... a total lack of God is what I put it down to!...

odin_ie

00Blaine00 wrote: »

I went to school with one of them, he had always been in trouble during school years.

Same as myself so. If it is the same person, I remember him from primary school, but, I don't remember too much else.

I was away from Kilkenny for a number of years, maybe I was a bit naive, but I didn't think it had gotten this bad. Heroin is poison, pure and simple, can have you hooked on your first try, what puzzles me is why people try it to start with...

lesserspottedchloe

yeah I never undrstood that either? I mean wih all the media coverage and popular movies showing how soul destroying and addictive it is-what makes people try it?

Dr.Sanchez

laylah wrote: »

yeah I never undrstood that either? I mean wih all the media coverage and popular movies showing how soul destroying and addictive it is-what makes people try it?

With all the media coverage and popular movies showing how soul destroying and addictive alcohol is, what makes people drink?

Plug

My posts got deleted. Never mind. I heard a load of crap going around tonight, Two people on heroin took there lifes. I know the names but can't name them. Anyone hear know anything else? Im after getting a few texts and calls already.

Raze_them_all

Maxiebaby wrote: »

It's been a big problem in Kilkenny for years but it's got so out of control, most of the ppl I hung around with are now dealing or taking it, just back from one funeral... and hearing rumors 6 more have been taken into hospital and 2 dead.... :eek: unconfirmed but just wondering if anyone else has heard?.... a total lack of God is what I put it down to!...

I don't believe in an almighty invisible man and yet I don't take drugs. Please don't argue that believing god stops people taking drugs.


Heroins been running rampant for ages. Comer has alot of people on it.

Plug

A young lad I used to hang around with is now dead. Also a certain someone in a wheelchair has been found dead too. I heard that from his neighbour. Anyone else hear anything weather its true or not? This is shocking, dropping like flys:eek:

Plug

Buried the father a few months back too.

Wakey Wakey scumbag dealers!

catbear

I'm confused. Have two people died from overdose in Kilkenny this week or are there more? Rereading the thread it sounds like meltdown out there.

patrickc

catbear wrote: »

I'm confused. Have two people died from overdose in Kilkenny this week or are there more? Rereading the thread it sounds like meltdown out there.

three confirmed catbear this week

no more confirmed deaths.

Plug

catbear wrote: »

I'm confused. Have two people died from overdose in Kilkenny this week or are there more? Rereading the thread it sounds like meltdown out there.

5 that i know of. One is suicide(heroin related).

catbear

Plug wrote: »

5 that i know of. One is suicide(heroin related).

This past week?

Captain Havoc

Todays exmainer says 3 in KK and one in Carlow, in the last 6 days.

DerryRed

Maxiebaby wrote: »

It's been a big problem in Kilkenny for years but it's got so out of control, most of the ppl I hung around with are now dealing or taking it, just back from one funeral... and hearing rumors 6 more have been taken into hospital and 2 dead.... :eek: unconfirmed but just wondering if anyone else has heard?.... a total lack of God is what I put it down to!...

I believe in The Big Man above, but it's difficult to paint every circumstance with the same brush. There's plenty of people out there who believe, and still suffer from various addictions.

fabbydabby

Any theism v narcotics debate is totally daft and impossible to reconcile through systematic logical debate. And it doesn't belong here. This is about Heroin Hell!

Anyway, hard to believe a place like Kilkenny has a heroin problem... Or HAD a heroin problem.

DerryRed

fabbydabby wrote: »

Any theism v narcotics debate is totally daft and impossible to reconcile through systematic logical debate. And it doesn't belong here. This is about Heroin Hell!.

Very fair point. I'd suggest the moderator removes all such theism debate from this thread, in order to keep future replies on topic.

yermanoffthetv

While I am saddened to hear of this ammount of tragic deaths in such a short ammount of time, tbh Im not shocked or even surprised. Surely everyone realises heroin is being delt in most towns in the country? My fear is that this is going to get much worse with all the cutbacks, lack of resources and general misery in the country at the minute

Plug

141_Oscar_Mike wrote: »

I was told that this morning. His poor mam went through alot in recent years. Unfortunate.

Its confirmed, he died in Prison.

Threadhead

Is this one of the recent stars of Google street maps that we're talking about? I'd heard something about that but there's an awful lot of erroneous rumours going around about people dying at the moment.

benagain

wake up people its been killin dublin working class kids for the last 30years you only care because its on your doorstep you aint seen nothing yet , no one cared about the dublin kids and they wont care about yours , celtic tiger me bollix , its the same as it ever was fcuk you jack im alright .

fabbydabby

Who died? Deals on Wheels himself?

Plug

fabbydabby wrote: »

Who died? Deals on Wheels himself?

Yeap.

The suicide chap I was on about is actually out in hospital on a life support is the latest i heard:rolleyes:

Threadhead

There's an insane amount of local heroin addicts dying at the moment. Apparently Meals On Wheels was implicated in the bad consignment that came in but now apparently he's ended up dead. It's apparently's all round though and it's hard to get any kind of facts straight.

Walked past the funeral of one of the recent ones this evening, very poor turn out which was sad for a young man. He lives up near me, lovely family but the chap himself was beyond a mess. Really sad state of affairs.

Badgermonkey

If specialist dispensaries with the requisite medical/social checks and balances in place were allowed to prescribe opiates, death from impurities in heroin would not occur in anywhere near the numbers seen.

A lifting of prohibition on certain narcotics should be trialled to allow for a considered medical, academic, sociological and economic appraisal of such a scheme.

It is my belief that blindly adhering to a policy which generates vast profits for evil men at the expense of the vulnerable is intolerable.

It is time for some brave decisions and imaginative solutions.

Davaeo09

If only the headshops were still open, where people were sold safer substances and advised on proper usage... but thats another thread for another time.

Its time people woke up to the social problem in New Park and Hebron, where 90% off the problem is starting...

Davaeo09

Badgermonkey wrote: »

If specialist dispensaries with the requisite medical/social checks and balances in place were allowed to prescribe opiates, death from impurities in heroin would not occur in anywhere near the numbers seen.

A lifting of prohibition on certain narcotics should be trialled to allow for a considered medical, academic, sociological and economic appraisal of such a scheme.

It is my belief that blindly adhering to a policy which generates vast profits for evil men at the expense of the vulnerable is intolerable.

It is time for some brave decisions and imaginative solutions.

If only there were more like you

up for anything

Badgermonkey wrote: »

A lifting of prohibition on certain narcotics should be trialled to allow for a considered medical, academic, sociological and economic appraisal of such a scheme.

It is my belief that blindly adhering to a policy which generates vast profits for evil men at the expense of the vulnerable is intolerable.

Ha! If that happened it would be opening the way to a policy which still generates vast profits for evil men at the expense of the vulnerable and we've seen how that turned out.

Legalising drugs is not going to make the problems created by drugs go away, in my opinion it will make them more widespread. In 100 years time there would be PSAs similar to those educating the general populace about the evils of nicotine. I'd wish they'd had some of those gory ads when I was young. It might have made me think twice about picking up that first cigarette. What happens to the family unit when those members of it who are addicted physically and mentally to a legal drug - It would be like throwing a stone into a pond with the accompanying ripples.

How can you introduce a trial period of allowing certain narcotics and which ones? A trial period indicates that there is a going back if the trial doesn't work. What about the people who can't go back? Surely there is an moral obligation not to get people involved in something which can't be easily reversed?

Badgermonkey

up for anything wrote: »

Ha! If that happened it would be opening the way to a policy which still generates vast profits for evil men at the expense of the vulnerable and we've seen how that turned out.

So the policy I advocate would retain the status quo? I cannot see how you can reach that conclusion, perhaps you could expand on that.

up for anything wrote: »

Legalising drugs is not going to make the problems created by drugs go away, in my opinion it will make them more widespread.

In the context of heroin addiction, it would allow for a holistic approach to the wellbeing of the user. It may encompass counselling and support to help them address the reasons for their dependency, a needle exchange program to significantly reduce the incidence of transmission of infectious disease, regular health check to flag complications which may manifest as a result of chronic opiate usage and the obvious wider social benefit or reducing the criminal behaviour of many heroin addicts.

Davaeo09

up for anything wrote: »

Ha! If that happened it would be opening the way to a policy which still generates vast profits for evil men at the expense of the vulnerable and we've seen how that turned out.

Legalising drugs is not going to make the problems created by drugs go away, in my opinion it will make them more widespread. In 100 years time there would be PSAs similar to those educating the general populace about the evils of nicotine. I'd wish they'd had some of those gory ads when I was young. It might have made me think twice about picking up that first cigarette. What happens to the family unit when those members of it who are addicted physically and mentally to a legal drug - It would be like throwing a stone into a pond with the accompanying ripples.

How can you introduce a trial period of allowing certain narcotics and which ones? A trial period indicates that there is a going back if the trial doesn't work. What about the people who can't go back? Surely there is an moral obligation not to get people involved in something which can't be easily reversed?

Clearly you have no idea how this works, and come on at least try think of a way to make it work instead of "HA"
One things for sure, if DOCTORS and SCIENTISTS create a drug, its almost 100% of the time going to be safer than what you'l get from some shaddy dealer for Athy,Comer etc etc
Add to this then some one in the shop you buy these from can and should advise people about proper usage. Heck even some scaremongering to be extra safe i.e don't take more than 4 of these. (of course there will be the odd idiot who will just ignore those any way)

Any way fact of the matter is, more people have died from drug related problems in the past month in Kilkenny than they did in the year+ the headshops were open... FACT

fabbydabby

Here's my response to your 'FACT', valid now as it was a year ago and probably still so in ten years time. I am not typing it out all again.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=65893340&postcount=15

Fluffybums

Sadly the argument for legalise drugs to deal with the problems of illegal drugs is not that simple. The sale of opium was restricted in 1868, prior to that there were opium dens and addicts who still stole to feed their habit. Heoine/diamorphine and morphine are still used clinically, in fact as a pain killer nothing really beats morphine. As for scientists creating safe drugs, don't be fooled, no drug is safe and in fact I would go further than that and say nothing is safe - can't remember who said this but "everything is a poison it is just a question of dose", oxygen is toxic at high purity but we can't live without it. Paracetamol a drug most people take without a thought has a toxic dose about twice that above the max dose listed on the pack, if you OD on it you can live long enough to arrange your own funeral.
Amphetamine is an example of a legal drug that is also a drug of abuse. Benzodiazepines, eg, Valium, have a strong tendency to cause abuse and prior to changes in prescribing practice a large number of people became addicted, I suspect people still are and do. Then of course there is codeine, also an opiate, which is also abused but found in over the counter medicines, though that is being tightened up.

I am in two minds about legalisation, a blanket legalisation would not, in my opinion help though of course it would make the pharma industry happy and make drugs cheaper as you cannot expect them to pay for tolerance and dependency studies (v. expensive and kill a lot of potential psychiatric drugs) and some tox studies if there are drugs which you have just legalised freely available. Then you turn to some controlled legalisation, well as I've shown above a some drugs of abuse are already available in a controlled manner and they still pose a problem.

I really don't know what the answer is; though the status quo is not working, but then simple blanket answers aren't either.

Jinxi

While it is really sad that peoples sons and duaghters are dying from heroin, I think its ridiculous to say that it should be legalised or that it is more prevalent since head shops closed.
Anyone under the age of 50 has been offered/around some illegal drug at some time or other. Very few of us will be offered heroin. Usually because you have to well into the drug scene before you come in contact with heroin. And everyone knows that there is never a happy ending to the story that begins " So I tried some heroin and..."
So what make a person try it? It usually is because they have HUGE emotional and personal issues before. So maybe that is where the concentration needs to be in preventing peoples death from heroin.

We probably need to look closely at the Swiss model of dealing with heroin addiction.Our drug policies are not working here and unfortunately change is something not embraced in our health system.It takes up to 5 years for a health policy to be changed or implemented in this country,that is the kind of red tape you have to deal with.We are a great country for doing reports but not for reaching out and helping our fellow man.

http://www.worldradio.ch/wrs/news/video/switzerland-embraces-heroin-assisted-treatment.shtml?12825

discodiva92

Its sad for the family that try to do well for them but come on any one thats uses heroin is an idiot
I dont know anyone thats does such a scummy thing and being honest why would you want to
One poster said most of the people they know take or deal it stay far away so

discodiva92

I hate all this blame game for people taking this poison,people are gone too p.c in Ireland to say it but we all know scum but they blame everything in their life

No one makes them take it

Sunnyisland

IMO The whole response to drug addiction has to change,There has been millions after millions spent on trying to curb illegal drug dealing in countries much more powerful & wealthy than ours, There are countries were you are executed for drug dealing, it still does not stop the trade in illegal narcotics, some other way has to be tried, if not we are all just wasting our time and flogging a dead horse, Its kilkenny/carlow today where will it be tomorrow ?

CiaranC

Badgermonkey wrote: »

If specialist dispensaries with the requisite medical/social checks and balances in place were allowed to prescribe opiates, death from impurities in heroin would not occur in anywhere near the numbers seen.

A lifting of prohibition on certain narcotics should be trialled to allow for a considered medical, academic, sociological and economic appraisal of such a scheme.

It is my belief that blindly adhering to a policy which generates vast profits for evil men at the expense of the vulnerable is intolerable.

It is time for some brave decisions and imaginative solutions.

You are wasting your time talking sense like this in rural Ireland. Clearly its a combination of a "lack of God" and "evil dealers" that are causing these problems. People dont want to know. They'll wring their hands and call all and sundry "scumbags" for the next few decades while the problem gets worse and worse and worse and then finally, when it starts killing THEIR kids they might listen to solutions from places which have actually reduced harm from heroin. Until then, good luck listening to their ignorant, ill-informed rantings.

discodiva92

Why the hell should idiots be given free drugs and schemes etc

The scum generation gets too much in this country as it is

charlemont

The cannabis crackdown of 05/06 created a whole new market for heroin in the countryside, Im shocked myself at how big it got..

Never tried it myself but it killed my best friends and lots of neighbours where I live now..

Jinxi

You mean apart from the fact that they are mothers/fathers/sons/daughters/partners who's lives have spiraled out of control....

The use of heroin cost the average tax payer alot of money in medical care, social welfare payments, court costs, extra policing before you get to rehabilitation schemes.
Not counting the victims of petty crime who occur from the need to feed the habit

fabbydabby

discodiva92 wrote: »

Why the hell should idiots be given free drugs and schemes etc

The scum generation gets too much in this country as it is

One could easily argue that this Irish society which you so readily subscribe to is the one which created the scum generation.

We're an island. Stopping this sh!te getting in in the first place should be easy. Why isn't it?

Raze_them_all

fabbydabby wrote: »

One could easily argue that this Irish society which you so readily subscribe to is the one which created the scum generation.

We're an island. Stopping this sh!te getting in in the first place should be easy. Why isn't it?

We do not have the naval fleet to stop it. Drugs will get in. infact I'd estimate 80-90% of drugs sent to ireland make it to the streets