The accessibility and prevalence of cocaine in rural communities across Northern Ireland has led to its normalization, according to Aidan Ormsby, a drugs and alcohol support manager in Irvinestown. Ormsby notes that the drug is easily accessible in towns and villages in rural areas, and its use has become widespread. Previously popular only among middle-class individuals, cocaine has seen an increase in supply and demand, leading to falling prices and wider availability to people across different socioeconomic backgrounds.
Aside from the prevalence of cocaine, another concern that Ormsby has is the level of acceptance around its use as a Class A drug. According to him, cocaine use has become so normalized that it’s not uncommon for young people and users to overlook its adverse effects. Professor Anne Campbell, from the Drug and Alcohol Research Network at Queen’s University Belfast, agrees that a public health campaign is necessary to address the widespread and growing misuse of cocaine across all sectors of society.
Despite being an illegal drug and classified as Class A, Campbell believes that organizations and authorities in power must have a structural responsibility to educate people on the effects of cocaine use. She notes that public awareness is critical, especially as more people are taking the drug, and to ignore its prevalence poses an increasing risk to the health of users. Additionally, drug seizures have increased over the past year, with 8,934 seizures of different types of drugs and 3,340 drug-related arrests.
In conclusion, the prevalence of cocaine use in Northern Ireland’s rural communities has become a widespread and growing issue. Its availability and falling prices have contributed to its normalization across different social classes, and public health campaigns are necessary to raise awareness about its harmful effects. Authorities need to take responsibility in educating people about the dangers of drug use and address the issue before it leads to further harm
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