Cocaine Destroying Rural Ireland

Count Dracula

There is no point in bashing on the drugs or the drug users.

Lots of people enjoying their cocaine use without resorting to beating up their mothers to pay for it.

The biggest drug problem Ireland has, is a lack of understanding surrounding its' many inherent complexities, mixed with a fearful ignorance of a new phase or popular wave.

I am not condoning drug use, but the main reason it gets driven underground, where it thrives, is because users are still interested in enjoying a full life without having to undergo belligerence from their love ones who possibly have no understanding of what is happening and why.

Drug use is portrayed as a cancer and a scourge on society - but the fact that remains is that most people enjoy drugs on a recreational basis and continue to do so.... much like the users of biggest and most dangerous drug, ALCOHOL. That drug is the biggest killer of them all.

Drug use is not a RURAL Problem either, I would have little respect for anyone still dissecting this country on such primitive malign.

For Forks Sake

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120600598#Comment_120600598

Cashel is definitely Juarez 😆, Roscrea is more like Siniloa

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120600598#Comment_120600598

Nor do I recognise the picture being painted - neighbours salt of the earth types mostly round here. We must move in the wrong circles.

Yurt2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120600693#Comment_120600693

I was tempted to post this, but I thought it would be too on-the-nose given the subject matter 🤣

mariaalice

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120600839#Comment_120600839

The most significant load of self-justifying every, drug and or alcohol to a dependent /addiction level means you are not psychologically present in your own life or in the life of your family the real question is why the need to escape reality or self-medicate.

mariaalice

A radical idea, maybe humans have to accept, unhappiness, boredom, loneliness, etc as part of living.

Flaneur OBrien

It'll be interesting to see what happens with the current citizens assembly on drugs.

I'm pretty certain we haven't actually tried to keep people off drugs. Mainly because how you do it is very unpalatable to a lot of people. Namely, providing services and social workers to where they're needed and increasing spending on children and education.

I believe that people will take drugs to fill a "hole" in their lives, and it's finding something else to fill that hole will keep them away from drugs.

Jailing users doesn't work, moving drugs into the realm of public health and providing the funding for prevention and treatment has a higher chance of working, but as will be shown below, people won't want to hear about it.

Count Dracula

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120600945#Comment_120600945

I am not fully grasping you. But I think you are emphasising that drug use is similar to drug abuse used to enable people with minor personality disorders or afflictions?

Yes there definitely are lots of users self medicating. But I still believe that they are in the minority.

Most people using drugs are using them because they simply enjoy them, it can be and often is that simple.

I think people who don't enjoy them get themselves worked up about it the most? They always seem to have some friend or relative that they are obsessed with manipulating or coercing off drugs - for whatever banal reason? The fact remains that all users suffer from these buzz killing types who are more often fuel for inversive antagonism.

Most people taking drugs are having a great laugh and enjoying themselves, that is what is happening. Most people enjoying their drug use are able to self discipline themselves, hold down jobs and have normal relationships. They exist everywhere, they are your colleagues in work, they are team mates, they might be your friends. They exist all over the shop.

Taking cocaine is not a one way ticket to bankruptcy and depression.... it'll help if that's where you are interested in going, but stereotypes are stereotypes for a reason. It is shocking to see such naivety from the OP. Who buys their drugs off travellers for starters, really?

tesla_newbie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120600965#Comment_120600965

The citizens assembly is a talking shop of woke progressives who’s conclusions on anything are as predictable as wet weather in Westport

buried

Lack of policing and the will to enforce any sort of policing enforcement is the problem. Drugs are always going to be there, they are everywhere in the modern age. Drink is a drug. Down the road from where I live, every bank holiday weekend there is a venue operating a nightclub/bar and the place has no actual licence for anything. This has been going on for over a year. But there is no police, no enforcement, no presence. Black market drugs like cocaine are basically liquid, it will flow and continue to flow. Either provide the police resources to deal with the problem or legalise it and tax it and get revenue and control over it. Could actually pay for more police that places like this don't have.

happyoutscan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120595801#Comment_120595801

Exactly. I wasted too much time on trying to help someone who refused to admit they had a drink problem. Well they did at one stage, but don't have the guts to face up to it.

Thing is, he knows bloody well but his ego won't tolerate him getting help. He's destroyed his family but would refuse to accept it was down to him.

Flaneur OBrien

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120601206#Comment_120601206

Well that's just completely untrue.

joseywhales

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120601257#Comment_120601257

No point in looking back, playing the blame game, he should just focus on the present, easier said than done I guess.

joseywhales

If you really want make an impact there should be funding for sports clubs, drama socities other rural associations to raise awareness and provide non judgemental avenues of support for young people. The other problem is kids have isolated themselves more than I'm the past

thomas 123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120595550#Comment_120595550

If that's acceptable to you...

1 in 20 that admit it.

Out of that 1 in 20 how many are heavy drinkers or heavy gamblers - cocaine is an extreme in my opinion.

tesla_newbie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120601279#Comment_120601279

It’s indisputably true , the conclusions are utterly predetermined

Beasty

Yurt2 threadbanned

Flaneur OBrien

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120601328#Comment_120601328

It's made up of a cross section of our country. 100 people that applied to be there. They'll listen to all sides, much more than you or I will. If you think there's not enough (what's the opposite of a woke progressive? Sleeping regressives?) Whatever you want to call them, maybe you should apply next time and you might get in.

One thing is for certain, the conclusions are absolutely not predetermined.

You could have a good guess how it's going to turn out, because they usually get the mood of the country and the direction the country wants to head in right. And you can judge that y the overwhelming victories of the repeal campaign and gay marriage vote.

buried

It's a pity we didn't get a citizens assembly showcase when the state shut down 53 Garda stations in Rural Ireland from 2012- 2013. Then this whole $hitshow we now have to economically, judicially and medically deal with could have been avoided.

tesla_newbie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120601422#Comment_120601422

“ cross section of our country “

that’s gold

it’s a rubber stamp exercise if ever their was one

lizzyjane

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120596517#Comment_120596517

Plenty advocated for this type of scenario for people who refused to get the covid vaccine.

Count Dracula

Another problem that victims of drug abuse face is the lack of sincerity behind the hype.

For example I can remember cocaine being widely used well over 20 years ago. Yet the OP is only mentioning it as a RURAL problem now?

That stinks to be honest and it is the second attempt ( rural political party ) on this site to manipulate an issue on such polarising lines ( no pun sorry ) as urban / rural.

Anyone attempting to secularise or polarise Irish society is a fascist, I don't care if it rural/urban , left / right , drug users, gender equality, ethnicity shaming and so on and so on...... It all bares the same tone and hallmark of thinly veiled fascism. The instigators ( or OPS ) are subtle enough. Take a topic, create some detrimental scenario at the extreme end of it, that encompasses a tragic victim, an evil perpetrator , a topical hate environment and throw in your target of choice ( travellers, drugs, boxing, Political Party, government dept etc etc ).

I see what you are doing mortals, I know who your are and I know what you did.

The sun is rising, my lair awaits.. enjoy your day mortals.

francois

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120601206#Comment_120601206

Once again the tedious strawman woke makes a weary appearance on boards.

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120601458#Comment_120601458

I wouldn’t say “avoided” by any means, but an open and working Garda station can’t be under estimated as to what such a presence has on the local community- the mere presence on the Main Street of a Garda station could greatly reduce the levels of all crime - and not only that, encourage all sorts of positive and preventative behaviours from the local community.

The Gardai for whatever reason, have taken mathematical and financial decisions around where to base their personnel - what they didn’t do is explore the unintended consequences of closing local Garda stations - I do believe that the spike in drug use is part of that.

Flaneur OBrien

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120601458#Comment_120601458

I agree with you on closing down Garda stations. There used to be one in my village. It's still owned by the gardai, but never used. The next town over has a Garda station that is open 8 hours a week, serving 3,600 people. That's ludicrous.

I don't agree that the drug problem would have been avoided. It was always due to escalate in rural areas, as people return from colleges in cities, or moving to rural locations with the ability to work from home and possibly bringing with them drug habits.

Tomaldo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120602123#Comment_120602123

Yeah, I was skeptical of the OP when he/she mentioned free "taster offers" to young people to get them addicted. That never happened to me or any other coke-user I know. Then his/her other post, comparing rural Munster to Mexico, which was rubbished by other posters from that part of Ireland confirmed my suspicions.

BagofWeed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120600839#Comment_120600839

Hit the nail on the ceann there ! This poster knows what he is talking about.

I've always noticed it's the folk who know the least about drugs that have the most to say about them and this thread has produced some classics altogether. Hysteria and ignorance have clouded the truth in relation to most drugs and this perfectly suits the fearmongering, gossiping but naïve culture we have. But It's understandable there is a clouded judgement on most drugs as the media, policing and health sectors have pushed an agenda for several decades.

IMO opinion the drugs causing the most damage, crime, visibility on the streets are heroin and benzos such as zanax, most of the street addicts won't be forking out for cocaine. I'm far from an expert on the quality of coke sold here frankly I am glad I don't use it.

Although I will say a lot of folk are too immature and thick to be dabbling in hard drugs. Some of them act stupid enough on weed and/or alcohol as it is. The 'lash it back', binge drinking, going crazy on the drink after a long boring teenage existence, slugging naggins back in 1/2 drinking style created nothing but problems but due to lack of real education, discussion, warnings, quality control, it's no surprise to see young folks doing the same with drugs. If folks mess with hard drugs in the same manner as they mess with drink then the outcome will always be bad.

Me, I just want cannabis fully legal and to be able to buy/use it in coffeeshops. If other drugs were to be decriminalised then the courts and guards should just crack down on anti social behaviour sure it'll give a disbanded drug unit some real work to do, lol. Basically it should be use your drug of choice but don't act the bollox around the place otherwise you'll be dealt with.

Ken 83

I think it's a whole of Ireland issue .drug use , education is key to prevent drug use, look how its worked on cigarette smoking , youngsters become more aware of the dangers as there educated on it , at the end of the day .parents are educaters for there kids .and un fortunately you need a license to have a dog but any ejits can have kids

Run Forest Run

Unfortunately, I've seen the damage caused by coke first hand.

People are just so easily influenced by what others are doing, and don't really have a mind of their own or the ability to resist peer pressure... so the same people that were always likely to abuse alcohol, will sadly just fall into the same behaviour patterns with coke or anything else really. That's just the culture we have in this country.

It starts in the home for me. You have to teach kids to be confident and think for themselves. Resist peer pressure and be your own person. But that's not the culture in this country. It's almost like a zombie nation we live in. People live their lives on autopilot, just doing whatever is popular or trendy in their particular circle. Sad really.

Nermal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120601632#Comment_120601632

How does someone say something like that with a straight face?