Free Heroin!

Robbo

Having been away for a while, I was a bit taken aback by the front page of ths weeks Galway Independent, where Cllr. Frank Fahy (the other one, the one who's currently a taxi driver) had received "worrying" reports of free heroin being doled out in certain estates.

Naturally, I was shocked into submission, and being white and middle class, I've decided to take it up with the internets.

Well, where is it or is it one of those myths of the chattering classes like the "heroin laced" hash which was being sold to children of respectable families a few years ago (but for the same price mind).

Gee Bag

Well if a councillor in Galway says it then it must be true!

But seeing that he's also a taxi driver this statement should be treated as though it was the word of God.

And it was also in the Galway Independent, that paper makes the Advertiser look like the Sunday Times.

Robbo

Gee Bag wrote: »

Well if a councillor in Galway says it then it must be true!

But seeing that he's also a taxi driver this statement should be treated as though it was the word of God.

That's my thinking, and if it gets mentioned in those winsome article-ettes inside the front cover of the Sentinel, it's the holy Trinity completed.

Gee Bag

Robbo wrote: »

That's my thinking, and if it gets mentioned in those winsome article-ettes inside the front cover of the Sentinel, it's the holy Trinity completed.

We should head down to the next Novena and find out wht the word on the street is..........

Mr_A

Ha. Sounds too good to be true.

I'll bet there's some kind of catch.

snubbleste

When the Cllr McNeilis objected to this line of thought that it would be discouraging parents sending students to Galway..The response from Cllr. Fahy was "I'm out and about at 3am and see what's going on when Cllr. McNeilis is tucked up in bed"

It also came up at the JPC on monday and in fairness the Garda stated they were aware of the problem.

antoobrien

it was on the front page of the sentinel as well on tuesday - http://www.galwaynews.ie/21903-heroin-being-given-out-free-some-city-suburbs

Gee Bag

snubbleste wrote: »

I'm out and about at 3am and see what's going on "

Translation for broadcasting on Liveline "I'm a taxi driver Joe, I know things Joe, I see things Joe, all taxi drivers have super powers Joe"

I call shenanigans on the whole story!

charlemont

Sounds like rubbish.

Das Kitty

Mr_A wrote: »

Ha. Sounds too good to be true.

I'll bet there's some kind of catch.

What, a catch like being addicted to heroin you mean?


Unfortunately there is a kernel of truth here. I wouldn't have believed it either.

It's a bastard of a drug, I hope none of you ever have it come close to home, wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

inisboffin

Das Kitty wrote: »

It's a bastard of a drug, I hope none of you ever have it come close to home, wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

So true. While it's not as immediately physically addictive as people think, users report that you'll wake up one day to find your harmless 'habit' turned into something that you *must* have in order to stop horrible pain. Getting off it is hard and horrible. Wrecks lives.

barryd09

Frank Fahey drives a taxi now?? Am i getting this right?

Das Kitty

barryd09 wrote: »

Frank Fahey drives a taxi now?? Am i getting this right?

Fine Gael Frank Fahey.

barryd09

Aaah i was thinking it was hardly frank 40 houses fahey!!

McTigs

they used to give out free ecstasy in the castle in salthill years ago. a tablet each as we walked in the door.

i never fully understood the business plan mind

galwayrush

A few people from the area who collect wood shavings from my workshop confirmed it's very true.:mad:

Gee Bag

McTigs wrote: »

they used to give out free ecstasy in the castle in salthill years ago. a tablet each as we walked in the door.

i never fully understood the business plan mind

Did they? I was in the Castle all the time and I never once heard of any one getting free yokes. Thet were still about £15-20 when the Castle was open.

galwaycyclist

McTigs wrote: »

they used to give out free ecstasy in the castle in salthill years ago. a tablet each as we walked in the door.

i never fully understood the business plan mind

Was the water turned off in the toilets as well?

Iwannahurl

Robbo wrote: »

... is it one of those myths of the chattering classes ...

charlemont wrote: »

Sounds like rubbish.

What's rubbish?

The claim that heroin might be given out free?

Or that heroin might be given out free in Galway City?

lookinbusy

McTigs wrote: »

they used to give out free ecstasy in the castle in salthill years ago. a tablet each as we walked in the door.

i never fully understood the business plan mind

HORSESH!t!

galwayrush

lookinbusy wrote: »

HORSESH!t!

I don't think that's illegal.

Iwannahurl

Gee Bag wrote: »

I call shenanigans on the whole story!

Why?

Gee Bag

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Why?

Because it's clearly a load of auld rubbish. It's the typical urban myth that keeps nice middle class parents awake at night.

Mr. Big in Galway is giving away thousands of euros worth of free heroin to youngsters on the off chance that some of them will get hooked?

Why not just sell it to the army of junkies already knocking around town?

ScumLord

"Free heroin!" roared Frank Fahy as he plunged the needle into his arm. He then went out for free pints.

PomBear

Frank Fahy is bloody useless and I don't expect him to do anything but give out.

On Heroin, the city doesn't have a bad drug problem in comparison to others its size so the gardaí should get up off their arse and make sure we don't fall down these cracks if the myth is true or not.

-Vega-

Sounds like horseshiz to me too, theres a recession on and the last thing ****ty small time Galway drug dealers can afford to do is give out free heroin even if it is the notorious first times free !

RMD

Gee Bag wrote: »

Because it's clearly a load of auld rubbish. It's the typical urban myth that keeps nice middle class parents awake at night.

Mr. Big in Galway is giving away thousands of euros worth of free heroin to youngsters on the off chance that some of them will get hooked?

Why not just sell it to the army of junkies already knocking around town?

Well it's pretty simple. By giving out free heroin he creates a new wave of customers which in turn enlarges his customer base creating a much greater revenue in the long term. Look into dealer's practices, it's not the first time this has been done. Many of them are pretty smart.

galwayrush

RMD wrote: »

Well it's pretty simple. By giving out free heroin he creates a new wave of customers which in turn enlarges his customer base creating a much greater revenue in the long term. Look into dealer's practices, it's not the first time this has been done. Many of them are pretty smart.

Not to mention the prices are apparently down, so scumbag dealer needs as many new customers as possible.

Gee Bag

RMD wrote: »

Well it's pretty simple. By giving out free heroin he creates a new wave of customers which in turn enlarges his customer base creating a much greater revenue in the long term. Look into dealer's practices, it's not the first time this has been done. Many of them are pretty smart.

I get the basic concept behind the story. I just think the whole thing is bullsh1t. Heroin is not instantly addictive.

How does one look into dealer's practices in Galway? Do they have a website?

McTigs

lookinbusy wrote: »

HORSESH!t!

of course it's horsesh!t, but that didn't stop the local sargeant in salthill going on the radio at the time saying that's exactly what was happening.

free heroin in doughiska? maybe, maybe not but i wouldn't take a taxi driving councilors word for it either way

Iwannahurl

Gee Bag wrote: »

Because it's clearly a load of auld rubbish. It's the typical urban myth that keeps nice middle class parents awake at night.

Mr. Big in Galway is giving away thousands of euros worth of free heroin to youngsters on the off chance that some of them will get hooked?

Why not just sell it to the army of junkies already knocking around town?

Urban myth?

Evidence please, demonstrating that this "myth" has been debunked, that the Garda Chief Supt is wrong, and that the distribution of free bags of heroin has never been a feature of drug dealers' activities in this country.

While you're at it, please also provide evidence that there's an "army of junkies" in Galway City. Are you talking hundreds or thousands, and what authoritative source can you point to that backs up your claim?

Otherwise, to be honest, you'll just look like one of those taxi drivers pretending to know everything.

-Vega- wrote: »

Sounds like horseshiz to me too, theres a recession on and the last thing ****ty small time Galway drug dealers can afford to do is give out free heroin even if it is the notorious first times free !

McTigs wrote: »

of course it's horsesh!t, but that didn't stop the local sargeant in salthill going on the radio at the time saying that's exactly what was happening.

free heroin in doughiska? maybe, maybe not but i wouldn't take a taxi driving councilors word for it either way

How do you know? Are you claiming this kind of thing never happens, or just that it hasn't happened in Galway City to date?

Gee Bag

Chief Superintendent Dónal Ó Cualáin, when asked to clarify, said he was not saying heroin was being given out for free but he acknowledged that free heroin was one of the methods dealers use to get drug users addicted. Chief Supt Ó Cualáin said the heroin drug problem in Galway was “transient”; and that it was “very much on top of our agenda” to ensure it doesn’t become a widespread problem.

http://www.galwaynews.ie/21903-heroin-being-given-out-free-some-city-suburbs

Chief Wiggam's got my back on this one (sort of).

As for the army of Junkies comment, if you haven't noticed the increased number of pasty-faced wretches shuffling around town or the increased frequency of heroin seizures and conviction of heroin users for other crimes (addiction can be used as mitigating circumstance in sentencing) in the local papers then there's little I'm going to be able to do here to convince you.

The only area where there was a significant upturn was in the area of drugs, which was as a result of a major concentration on detection, according to the spokesman. The rate of cultivation and manufacture of drugs is up by a stunning 64%, while possession of drugs for sale or supply was up 60%.

http://www.galwaynews.ie/16821-crime-figures-fall-year-success-garda%C3%AD

ScumLord

RMD wrote: »

Well it's pretty simple. By giving out free heroin he creates a new wave of customers which in turn enlarges his customer base creating a much greater revenue in the long term. Look into dealer's practices, it's not the first time this has been done. Many of them are pretty smart.

Indeed they have a heroin starter pack that includes heroin, needles, a spoon, a free lighter, a guide on how to shoot up and a small pamphlet on the dangers of listening to the governments lies about heroin, "heroin, it's grand really" it's called.

Iwannahurl

Gee Bag wrote: »

http://www.galwaynews.ie/21903-heroin-being-given-out-free-some-city-suburbs

Chief Wiggam's got my back on this one (sort of).

As for the army of Junkies comment, if you haven't noticed the increased number of pasty-faced wretches shuffling around town or the increased frequency of heroin seizures and conviction of heroin users for other crimes (addiction can be used as mitigating circumstance in sentencing) in the local papers then there's little I'm going to be able to do here to convince you.

http://www.galwaynews.ie/16821-crime-figures-fall-year-success-garda%C3%AD

"Chief Superintendent Dónal Ó Cualáin, when asked to clarify, said he was not saying heroin was being given out for free but he acknowledged that free heroin was one of the methods dealers use to get drug users addicted."

This idea has been dismissed more than once in this thread, and you claimed that it is "clearly a load of auld rubbish" and a "typical urban myth".

Are you saying that the Chief Super is wrong on this specific point?

You used the phrase "army of junkies" and claimed there was a sufficient number of heroin addicts in Galway City to keep dealers in business without having to resort to distribute free samples in a bid to boost sales.

How many junkies in an army? What is the evidence, regarding the number of heroin users, other than your perception of people's complexions?

I can always be convinced by evidence, just as I can always be interested by plausible anecdotes.

Iwannahurl

ScumLord wrote: »

Indeed they have a heroin starter pack that includes heroin, needles, a spoon, a free lighter, a guide on how to shoot up and a small pamphlet on the dangers of listening to the governments lies about heroin, "heroin, it's grand really" it's called.

Are you saying categorically that this kind of thing (ie distribution of free samples) does not happen, or merely that it has not happened in Galway City to date?

BTW, a (hypothetical) 'starter pack' would be more likely to include a piece of alu-foil, a lighter and a guide on how to inhale, rather than needles and a spoon.

Gee Bag

Iwannahurl wrote: »

"Chief Superintendent Dónal Ó Cualáin, when asked to clarify, said he was not saying heroin was being given out for free but he acknowledged that free heroin was one of the methods dealers use to get drug users addicted."

This idea has been dismissed more than once in this thread, and you claimed that it is "clearly a load of auld rubbish" and a "typical urban myth".

Are you saying that the Chief Super is wrong on this specific point?

You used the phrase "army of junkies" and claimed there was a sufficient number of heroin addicts in Galway City to keep dealers in business without having to resort to distribute free samples in a bid to boost sales.

How many junkies in an army? What is the evidence, regarding the number of heroin users, other than your perception of people's complexions?

I can always be convinced by evidence, just as I can always be interested by plausible anecdotes.

Heroin dealers generally don't publish their annual accounts. Their kind of crafty like that.

If you honestly haven't noticed the increase in the number of junkies shuffling around town or heard anecdotal evidence to the same effect then use must wander around with a bucket over your head.

Iwannahurl

Gee Bag wrote: »

Heroin dealers generally don't publish their annual accounts. Their kind of crafty like that.

If you honestly haven't noticed the increase in the number of junkies shuffling around town or heard anecdotal evidence to the same effect then use must wander around with a bucket over your head.

You said "army" orginally, which suggests a very large number. Are you talking about hundreds or thousands?

To put this in perspective, there are an estimated 13,000 heroin users in the Dublin area.

Apart from your own perceptions, apparently based on complexion and gait, can you point to any authoritative source indicating (a) that there is an "army of junkies" in Galway City, and (b) the estimated size of said army?

By the way, can I now take it that you are no longer insisting that the free samples claim is an "urban myth"?

nicechick!

Robbo wrote: »

Having been away for a while, I was a bit taken aback by the front page of ths weeks Galway Independent, where Cllr. Frank Fahy (the other one, the one who's currently a taxi driver) had received "worrying" reports of free heroin being doled out in certain estates.

Naturally, I was shocked into submission, and being white and middle class, I've decided to take it up with the internets.

Well, where is it or is it one of those myths of the chattering classes like the "heroin laced" hash which was being sold to children of respectable families a few years ago (but for the same price mind).

What has being ''white and middle class'' have anything to do with the fact?

mcgarry098

well i know dealers give people a free line of coke or other in the hope theyd get addicted and buy it off them

Iwannahurl

nicechick! wrote: »

What has being ''white and middle class'' have anything to do with the fact?

In the case of this thread, just an opportunity to sneer in a superior fashion, I reckon.

inisboffin

Iwannahurl wrote: »

In the case of this thread, just an opportunity to sneer in a superior fashion, I reckon.

I dunno. I'd give OP the benefit of the doubt and say they were making a joke. Being facetious?

Iwannahurl

inisboffin wrote: »

I dunno. I'd give OP the benefit of the doubt and say they were making a joke. Being facetious?

Perhaps.

nicechick!

inisboffin wrote: »

I dunno. I'd give OP the benefit of the doubt and say they were making a joke. Being facetious.

Well if its a joke it didn't make me laugh

Gee Bag

http://www.galwaynews.ie/15308-galway-heroin-surge-sees-70-rise-number-dealers-caught

http://www.galwaynews.ie/16795-galway-grip-growing-heroin-crisis

CiaranC

Is it only free heroin? Any free charlie? This should be in bargain alerts

Iwannahurl

Gee Bag wrote: »

http://www.galwaynews.ie/15308-galway-heroin-surge-sees-70-rise-number-dealers-caught

http://www.galwaynews.ie/16795-galway-grip-growing-heroin-crisis

I don't doubt there is heroin dealing/use/addiction in Galway City (in fact I know there is) but it's a question of scale.

Headline: "Galway heroin surge sees 70% rise in number of dealers caught".

Quote: "Since January there have been 34 incidents of possession of drugs for sale or supply. This represents an increase of 70% on the same period last year."

Quote: "The incidents of ‘simple possession’ of drugs, which means people who are caught with quantities of drugs for their own use, fell by 5% to 165 cases."

AGS sometimes quote large percentage changes without commenting much on the actual numbers. A 70% change in this case is an increase from 20 to 34 detected incidents (of drug-dealing) in comparable nine-month periods.

Evidence of drug dealing? Yes. Evidence of an "army of junkies"? Clearly not.

On what basis can you refer to local media reports as evidence of a major heroin problem in Galway City, and at the same time dismiss as a "myth" the claim that dealers might be trying to increase the number of users by distributing free samples?

Iwannahurl

CiaranC wrote: »

Is it only free heroin? Any free charlie? This should be in bargain alerts

5 Things Business Owners Can Learn From Drug Dealers.

Use of "loss leaders" is a well-established marketing strategy.

Gee Bag

Iwannahurl wrote: »

I don't doubt there is heroin dealing/use/addiction in Galway City (in fact I know there is) but it's a question of scale.

Headline: "Galway heroin surge sees 70% rise in number of dealers caught".

Quote: "Since January there have been 34 incidents of possession of drugs for sale or supply. This represents an increase of 70% on the same period last year."

Quote: "The incidents of ‘simple possession’ of drugs, which means people who are caught with quantities of drugs for their own use, fell by 5% to 165 cases."

AGS sometimes quote large percentage changes without commenting much on the actual numbers. A 70% change in this case is an increase from 20 to 34 detected incidents (of drug-dealing) in comparable nine-month periods.

Evidence of drug dealing? Yes. Evidence of an "army of junkies"? Clearly not.

On what basis can you refer to local media reports as evidence of a major heroin problem in Galway City, and at the same time dismiss as a "myth" the claim that dealers might be trying to increase the number of users by distributing free samples?

The difference is one paper was reporting the opinion of a councillor, while the other stories are based on actual statistical evidence.

Chief Superintendent Dónal Ó Cualáin, when asked to clarify, said he was not saying heroin was being given out for free but he acknowledged that free heroin was one of the methods dealers use to get drug users addicted.

Reading between the liness - The chief-super in Galway has already stated that the original 'free heroin' story is not true, but when pushed said free drugs have been given out elsewhere. Maybe, just maybe he was trying to help out the superintendent in salthill who came out and backed councillor Fahy in the first place. The salthill super now looks a bit silly when his boss,the chief-super has more or less stated that he was talking sh1te.

The same as you I can't find exact figures for heroin use in Galway on the internet (I'm pretty sure you googled it as well). Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.

If you want to be pedantic about the use of the word 'army' thats up to you. I used the term to indicate that there was a substantial existing customer base for heroin dealers in Galway. It's not meant to mean that they are like a real army with junkie generals and junkie tanks.

You can see junkies around town all the time now. They are pretty easy to spot with the shuffling walk, bad teeth, dead eyes, etc, etc. Years ago they were few and far between.

Your probably right when you say the majority are smoking, but there are plenty of used syringes being dumped around town in stupid places.

http://irishexaminer.ie/ireland/methadone-use-falls-but-drugs-issue-complex-158410.html

RMD

Gee Bag wrote: »

I get the basic concept behind the story. I just think the whole thing is bullsh1t. Heroin is not instantly addictive.

How does one look into dealer's practices in Galway? Do they have a website?

I'm not talking about the practices specific to dealer's in Galway. Take Frank Lucas for example (American Gangster), he made Heroin cheap and easily available, often offering the 1st "sample" free as he knew it would lead to a fairly high addiction rate. Soon enough, Harlem was ravaged by Heroin and he made insane amounts of money, so much so he wasn't able to spend it. It's fairly simple, set aside a certain amount of Heroin, offer it free to people who haven't taken it before and a certain amount will come back looking for more. It's not that hard to comprehend, and I wouldn't be surprised at all if this is being done, certainly not the first time I've heard of it being done.

Gee Bag

RMD wrote: »

I'm not talking about the practices specific to dealer's in Galway. Take Frank Lucas for example (American Gangster), he made Heroin cheap and easily available, often offering the 1st "sample" free as he knew it would lead to a fairly high addiction rate. Soon enough, Harlem was ravaged by Heroin and he made insane amounts of money, so much so he wasn't able to spend it. It's fairly simple, set aside a certain amount of Heroin, offer it free to people who haven't taken it before and a certain amount will come back looking for more. It's not that hard to comprehend, and I wouldn't be surprised at all if this is being done, certainly not the first time I've heard of it being done.

Eh, but Galway is slightly different to Harlem.

http://www.examiner.ie/ireland/4300-users-seek-help-from-drugs-charity-169177.html

First couple of lines of this report, MQI state that there is currently a heroin drought. Not exactly the time to be giving the stuff away for free.

Iwannahurl

Gee Bag wrote: »

The difference is one paper was reporting the opinion of a councillor, while the other stories are based on actual statistical evidence.

Reading between the liness - The chief-super in Galway has already stated that the original 'free heroin' story is not true, but when pushed said free drugs have been given out elsewhere. Maybe, just maybe he was trying to help out the superintendent in salthill who came out and backed councillor Fahy in the first place. The salthill super now looks a bit silly when his boss,the chief-super has more or less stated that he was talking sh1te.

The same as you I can't find exact figures for heroin use in Galway on the internet (I'm pretty sure you googled it as well). Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.

If you want to be pedantic about the use of the word 'army' thats up to you. I used the term to indicate that there was a substantial existing customer base for heroin dealers in Galway. It's not meant to mean that they are like a real army with junkie generals and junkie tanks.

You can see junkies around town all the time now. They are pretty easy to spot with the shuffling walk, bad teeth, dead eyes, etc, etc. Years ago they were few and far between.

Your probably right when you say the majority are smoking, but there are plenty of used syringes being dumped around town in stupid places.

The Chief Supt. has not stated that the free heroin story is untrue. He has acknowledged that this is a 'marketing' strategy sometimes used by heroin dealers (contrary to your own assertions) and has said that he is not aware of specific instances in Galway City. That's a crucial difference.

It is not beyond the bounds of possibility that Cllr Fahy is in fact correct in this matter, and nobody in AGS or on the JPC has flatly contradicted him.

However, a few people in this thread, including the OP apparently, are claiming that the story is bunk, based on no direct or indirect evidence whatsoever. Call me pedantic if you want, but that kind of supercilious attitude bugs me.

To repeat, this is what you wrote earlier:

Gee Bag wrote: »

Because it's clearly a load of auld rubbish. It's the typical urban myth that keeps nice middle class parents awake at night.

Mr. Big in Galway is giving away thousands of euros worth of free heroin to youngsters on the off chance that some of them will get hooked?

Why not just sell it to the army of junkies already knocking around town?

You're categorically stating that the alleged distribution of free heroin by drug dealers is "rubbish", "sh1te" and a "myth". The Chief Supt. says otherwise, and there is evidence that this is a dealers' strategy in Ireland and elsewhere.

Your use of the term "army of junkies" clearly implies that there is a very large and highly visible cohort of heroin addicts in Galway City. You also claim that this "substantial customer base" is already large enough to keep dealers in business, and therefore that Cllr Fahy's claim is further undermined.

In fact, you cannot even provide estimates for the number of heroin users/addicts in Galway City, never mind exact figures.

Two capture-recapture studies attempting to estimate the prevalence of opiate use in Ireland have been conducted, one in 2001 and another in 2006. The second study found a large increase in the prevalence of opiate use, "albeit from a low estimate in 2001".

The researchers state that the 2006 figures are likely to be overestimates.

The estimated prevalence of opiate use outside of Dublin in 2006 was 2.9 per thousand population aged 15-64.

According to the 2006 Census figures, the population of Galway City is approximately 72000, of which 76% are aged 15-64.

Applying the above prevalence estimate crudely to the 55000 or so adults in Galway City aged 15-64, we can estimate that there are approximately 160 opiate users in the locality.

Let's just say for the sake of argument that the real number of heroin users and addicts in Galway City is twice the officially estimated number for the rest of Ireland outside Dublin. In a city the size of Galway, would a cohort of 320 people with bad teeth and dead eyes really equate to an "army of junkies"?

Clearly hysteria about a heroin crisis is not justified, but there is no reason to be complacent either. And neither is there reason to be certain that dealers are not trying to add to their customer base through the strategic use of 'loss leaders' in the form of free samples.