Pubdate: Wed, 11 August 1999 Source: Examiner, The (Ireland) Copyright: Examiner Publications Ltd, 1999 Contact: http://www.examiner.ie/ THERE CAN BE NO LET UP IN BATTLE AGAINST DRUGS COMPARED with the vast profits of so called drug barons, the State spend in combating one of the most evil problems facing modern society, is relatively insignificant. While the allocation of pounds 15 million to help voluntary groups fight the problem is a highly positive development, it represents a drop in the ocean when measured against the enormous resources of the drug trade. It would barely equal the value of a shipment of hard drugs intercepted in Irish waters. This is not to dismiss the importance of funding announced by Junior Minister Chris Flood, who has special responsibility for the national drugs strategy, but rather to put it in perspective. It is, nevertheless, a welcome initiative in the battle against a problem which takes its toll on every city, town and village. The money will go to voluntary groups in Dublin, Cork and Bray, where local people are deeply involved in schemes run by the Drugs Task Force with the aim of creating innovative community responses to drug abuse. Some pounds 10 million has already been invested in over 200 community based initiatives. Ireland has over 13,000 drug addicts. In the Eastern Health Board area, over 4,000 people attend 42 drug centres. But the problem is widespread and drugs are readily available in almost every part of the country. In tapping local resources in the fight against drugs, it should not be forgotten the families of addicts have a major role in the search for solutions, including schemes to re integrate them in society. Confronted with addiction, it usually falls to families to help addicts rebuild their lives. Parents and siblings of victims can offer telling insights on how best to deal with the menace in local communities. They could, for instance, contribute significantly to primary education programmes in areas where children come face to face with the drugs culture at an early age. The allocation of pounds 15 million is puny compared with the bottomless resources of dealers backed by multi billion pound, worldwide criminal organisations. Based on a concept of partnership, the programme illustrates that there can be no let up in the battle against a problem now touching thousands of families. New addicts are daily recruited by the ruthless dealers who, despite the effectiveness of the garda crackdown on their evil activities, continue to prey on vulnerable victims at the heart of Irish society. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek Rea