Recreational drug use ‘feeding’ local gang intimidation

Recreational users buying small amounts of drugs at the weekend are directly “feeding” gangland violence and intimidation in local communities, according to a new awareness campaign.

The campaign — driven by a four-minute animated video — points out that this trade has a “corrosive” effect on entire communities.

The initiative, It Always Harms Someone, was produced by Safer Blanchardstown, a drug project in west Dublin, and launched at the weekend.

“The drugs market is made up essentially of two distinct end user groups — regular users and what are referred to as ‘casual’, ‘occasional’ or ‘recreational’ drug users,” said Philip Jennings, coordinator of Safer Blanchardstown. He said regular users were a dependable source of income for local gangs.

“However, it’s at the weekends when the casual or recreational user orders their small bit of hash or cocaine that the real money is made by the drugs trade and it is this ‘real money’ that attracts the serious violence and intimidation which is affecting communities right across the country.”

He said it was essential to draw attention to the link between recreational use and the “vast amounts of money” it generates for dealers.

“People who use drugs recreationally, say who are only spending €20 on a bag of weed, and are not affected personally, have an effect on the bigger picture, feeding into drug murders and shootings,” he said.

Mr Jennings said these users bore “some responsibility”.

He said users who owe money, along with their families, are subjected to threats, to physical violence, to vandalism and property damage to repay debts.

Mr Jennings said this has a wider affect on the local community, spreading “fear, feelings of being helpless and isolated, reduced quality of life and negative mental and physical health”.

He said the community “becomes the ultimate victim”. He said: “It is this descending fear that imposes the most corrosive aspect of intimidation on an individual, family and community: silence.”