Dealers sell ‘packs’ of crack and head shop drugs

DRUGS formerly available in head shops are being sold in party packs with crack for as little as €40, a conference has heard.

Some drug dealers are now more “sophisticated” and now have business cards. They are “networking” with other dealers to ensure they can supply any drug at any time.

Speakers at a conference on trends in cocaine and crack warned of a rising use of crystal methaphetamine, an addictive and powerful stimulant with a notorious reputation, largely due to its devastating record in US cities.

Local drug projects said they were finding it very difficult to deal with the “aggression” of addicts who were using, or coming off, crack or “Snow Blow”, a strong stimulant formerly sold in head shops.

Samantha Parkes of The Dales Centre, a drugs project based in Darndale, north Dublin, gave details of a survey among 137 drug users last Halloween.

These included primary users (long-term clients of the project) and secondary users (at-risk users which the group contacts through outreach work).

Ms Parkes said head shop drugs had “not gone away” despite legislative efforts last year which effectively banned the sale of all so-called legal highs and closed down most of the head shops.

She told the conference, which was organised by the Dales Centre and CityWide Drugs Crisis Campaign, that 92% of 18-30-year-olds said they had taken a head shop drug in the past month.

Ms Parkes said the drugs were being sold by local dealers with crack as “party packs” for as little as €40.

The survey showed 75% of 18-30-year-olds had used cocaine in the last month, often with Snow Blow.

She said there was evidence of an increase in crack use. Among 18-30-year-olds, 60% of secondary users and 65% of primary users had taken crack in the last month.

She said that since May the team had reported high usage of crystal meth. Results showed 50% of primary and secondary males aged 18-30 had taken it within the last month, rising to 65% of 30-40-year-olds and 80% of 40-50-year-olds.

Ms Parkes said crystal meth was becoming a “strong contender” as the next hard drug available on a widespread basis. She said a €50 bag of crystal meth would last about eight hours, while a €50 bag of crack would last an hour.

Gary Broderick, director of SAOL Women’s Project in Dublin, said dealers are professionalising their trade: “Dealers are more sophisticated, they are networking together. There is nothing you can’t get or wait for. They even have business cards.”

He said tablets, such as benzodiazepines, were easy to find and were now even being made locally. He said Snow Blow was becoming more readily available.

Mr Broderick said they were dealing with more “aggression and paranoia” from users on crack and head shop drugs.