Cocaine deaths - Tackle this issue or face an epidemic

THE chairman of the National Advisory Committee on Drugs, Dr Des Corrigan, yesterday highlighted the cocaine-related deaths of five young people.

Three died of cocaine toxicity, while the partner of one of those jumped to his death after taking cocaine, and the other young man died a result of a cocktail of drugs, including cocaine.

This should be a grim wake-up call on the pernicious threat that cocaine poses to society. It is a life and death issue for many young people, who are perilously ignorant of the dangers involved. Those who recklessly categorise cocaine as a recreational drug are playing down the dangers in an irresponsible way.