Exposing the Myth of a Drug Free Rural Ireland

It can be said without hesitation that drugs are currently an established feature of modem Irish society. In the past, many believed them to be solely an urban phenomenon but nowadays, they extend their reach on all areas, even the most mral parts of this island. This dissertation sets out to prove this whilst also placing a special emphasis on adolescent drug abuse. Information was sought from a variety of sources including literature, interviews and perhaps most importantly, through the surveying of more than one hundred adolescents. The results are alarming to say the least. Approximately one in three teenagers are dabbling with drugs, with cannabis being the dmg of preference in the vast majority of instances. Also, it is worth noting that the average age for commencing drug use aias young as thirteen to fourteen years. In addition to this, criminal activities such as stealing and distributing drugs for profit are the most popular means by which money is acquired to fund these activities. Furthermore, the survey indicates that it is most commonly friends who supply drugs to teenagers or, in one in ten cases, a family member. Leading on from this, previous research and information acquired from a series of interviews indicate that many of these young adults may, in the near future, proceed to experiment with more dangerous Class A drugs such as cocaine. A number of recommendations have been suggested so as to counteract this ever-growing trend. For instance, it is proposed that drug awareness education commences at an earlier age, that lectures are conducted by people who have had first hand experience with drugs and also, that parents play a more pro-active role in tackling the problem as opposed to ‘turning a blind eye’ as many currently choose to do. Many may not agree with these proposals but one thing is for certain, changes must be implemented immediately if this problem is to be prevented from escalating out of all control