More funding and resources are needed to tackle heroin use in Cork

There has been a significant rise in the number of heroin users in the last five years with approximately 500 heroin users in Cork now and this is contributing to homelessness, crime and death.

Crimes in Cork were up by about 40% by July and September 2014 compared with the previous year and it has been linked to increase of drug use in the city.

There are users shooting up in public places and throwing away needles carelessly where there are children at play.

It doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor, black or white or what community you are from — if you take heroin you can become addicted fast and end up either homeless, dead or in prison.

We need to do something about this. We need to stop heroin becoming a bigger problem in Cork and taking over communities like it has in Dublin.

We need to make sure there is enough funding and resources to contain the problem.

I am a student living on the northside of Cork and I don’t want to see people shooting up or have children grow up in a city where they are surrounded by the worst kind of drugs.

Chantelle McCarthy

Youthreach

Knocknaheeny

Cork