Yer man Carvill wrote a piece this week, and it got me thinking.
We live in a time where there has never been more awareness programs in schools, sports clubs, on TV etc. People are more educated about the dangers of drugs, yet there seems to be more and more people gripped by drugs problems.
I'd say most towns and villages in the country are touched in some way. It's frightening.
What can be done? And why are drugs so prevalent all around the country?
Heard a good one about the study that was done that formed the basis of a lot of modern drug policy. In the original experiment, they had two groups of rats. One was fed water from two sources, the other was fed water from one source and heroin-infused water from the other. The group that was fed heroin got addicted and had lots of health problems as a result, that group that wasn't exposed to heroin did not.
Conclusion: Drugs are bad.
The researcher revisited it years later because he thought something was wrong with the experiment. So he conducted a new experiment. This time there was a group of rats that was fed heroin like before, and like the previous experiment it was in a featureless and sterile environment where the rats were given no stimulation. The second group was also fed water infused with heroin and regular water from a different source, but this group was housed in a different environment. It was comfortable, cozy, and the rats in that group had lots of food, company, sex, etc. Kinda like a rat heaven. Well in this experiment the group in the enriched environment still showed some interest in the heroin-infused water at the beginning, but didn't become addicted like the ones in the other group.
Conclusion: Drug addiction is a consequence of more than just availability of drugs, it's a symptom of an absence of the things that make life interesting or fulfilling.
Just had a look for the Carvill piece and it seems to be subscriber only. What's the gist of it?
I'm a subscriber but they don't let you copy the article, if anyone knows what can be done there let me know and I'll paste the lot.
Talks about meeting a lad off his face in the Holylands on a Tuesday morning, fairly unresponsive, couldn't help him as he couldn't speak so he left him and went about his business.
Names Pomeroy as an area blighted by drugs.
Talks about the death of a young lad from Silverbridge and how they had a night for awareness when his mother spoke days after the death.
Says he regrets walking away from the young lad in the Holylands, hopes he's getting the help he needs and that the GAA community needs to stand up to drugs together.
I have to say, I was totally naïve to the drug problems in our local area until recently. I live in a fairly rural area and the ease which people can access cocaine in particular is frightening. What's more frightening is the attitude towards it, it seems to be nearly accepted as normal recreational behaviour. As a club we have tried to increase awareness of the long term effects of addiction and drug use but I am afraid that is not enough, this problem is only going to get bigger.
Quote from: Gaagaagaa20 on October 09, 2019, 09:34:10 AM
Reality is individual clubs can take a stand against this by removing those who they know are involved in drug use from their teams and strip them of club membership. It has absolutely zero place in our communities or our association.
Whilst I agree with your thinking - the reality is, good players will never be chased from clubs. You know yourself that is a non runner. Infact the way the GAA is going, any player will not be chased from a club.
Quote from: Gaagaagaa20 on October 09, 2019, 09:34:10 AM
Reality is individual clubs can take a stand against this by removing those who they know are involved in drug use from their teams and strip them of club membership. It has absolutely zero place in our communities or our association.
To be honest thats an absolute non runner. Impossible to police and unfair to expect club members to police it. Its not like fellas be landing down to the club off their nut. How would you go about it? "Johnny I hear you were doing a few lines at a party at the weekend, dont come back through those gates". Hes likely to tell you to go fcuk yourself.
Quote from: HiMucker on October 09, 2019, 10:04:28 AM
Quote from: Gaagaagaa20 on October 09, 2019, 09:34:10 AM
Reality is individual clubs can take a stand against this by removing those who they know are involved in drug use from their teams and strip them of club membership. It has absolutely zero place in our communities or our association.
To be honest thats an absolute non runner. Impossible to police and unfair to expect club members to police it. Its not like fellas be landing down to the club off their nut. How would you go about it? "Johnny I hear you were doing a few lines at a party at the weekend, dont come back through those gates". Hes likely to tell you to go fcuk yourself.
And rightly so. There is a major issue with this but as you say its unfair to ask clubmen to police it. Where does it stop? Do you strip membership off the player who gets in a car after 3 pints? If it was down to me I would have much less issue with a lad who takes a line of coke every now and again and doesnt really harm anyone else than the drink driver who puts other people at risk.
Quote from: HiMucker on October 09, 2019, 10:04:28 AM
Quote from: Gaagaagaa20 on October 09, 2019, 09:34:10 AM
Reality is individual clubs can take a stand against this by removing those who they know are involved in drug use from their teams and strip them of club membership. It has absolutely zero place in our communities or our association.
To be honest thats an absolute non runner. Impossible to police and unfair to expect club members to police it. Its not like fellas be landing down to the club off their nut. How would you go about it? "Johnny I hear you were doing a few lines at a party at the weekend, dont come back through those gates". Hes likely to tell you to go fcuk yourself.
Well then dont come crying and complaining when the culture develops. If this sort of stuff was nipped in the bud then there is no issue. People involved in this sort of carry on need ostracised from the community and then young people will think twice about engaging in behaviour like this. Not a nice thing to have to do but ultimately needed.
Quote from: Gaagaagaa20 on October 09, 2019, 10:32:49 AM
Quote from: Gaagaagaa20 on October 09, 2019, 10:30:44 AM
Quote from: HiMucker on October 09, 2019, 10:04:28 AM
Quote from: Gaagaagaa20 on October 09, 2019, 09:34:10 AM
Reality is individual clubs can take a stand against this by removing those who they know are involved in drug use from their teams and strip them of club membership. It has absolutely zero place in our communities or our association.
To be honest thats an absolute non runner. Impossible to police and unfair to expect club members to police it. Its not like fellas be landing down to the club off their nut. How would you go about it? "Johnny I hear you were doing a few lines at a party at the weekend, dont come back through those gates". Hes likely to tell you to go fcuk yourself.
Well then dont come crying and complaining when the culture develops. If this sort of stuff was nipped in the bud then there is no issue. People involved in this sort of carry on need ostracised from the community and then young people will think twice about engaging in behaviour like this. Not a nice thing to have to do but ultimately needed.
Well then you are saying that you dont have much of an issue with recreational drug use (which is fine) but you obviously fail to understand the viscious cycle it leads to where young and impressionable lads and girls get caught up in it because of no one making that big a deal out of it.
Yeah, like drinking and smoking. I haven't seen a single family yet that hasn't been affected by drink. When are we going to something about that vicious cycle?
Just because drinking & smoking is legal it doesnt mean they effect people any less.
While drug use is on the increase, especially in rural areas, one can assume it has a long way to go before it reaches the destructive levels that drink and smoking have reached
Quote from: HiMucker on October 09, 2019, 10:37:43 AM
Quote from: Gaagaagaa20 on October 09, 2019, 10:32:49 AM
Quote from: Gaagaagaa20 on October 09, 2019, 10:30:44 AM
Quote from: HiMucker on October 09, 2019, 10:04:28 AM
Quote from: Gaagaagaa20 on October 09, 2019, 09:34:10 AM
Reality is individual clubs can take a stand against this by removing those who they know are involved in drug use from their teams and strip them of club membership. It has absolutely zero place in our communities or our association.
To be honest thats an absolute non runner. Impossible to police and unfair to expect club members to police it. Its not like fellas be landing down to the club off their nut. How would you go about it? "Johnny I hear you were doing a few lines at a party at the weekend, dont come back through those gates". Hes likely to tell you to go fcuk yourself.
Well then dont come crying and complaining when the culture develops. If this sort of stuff was nipped in the bud then there is no issue. People involved in this sort of carry on need ostracised from the community and then young people will think twice about engaging in behaviour like this. Not a nice thing to have to do but ultimately needed.
Well then you are saying that you dont have much of an issue with recreational drug use (which is fine) but you obviously fail to understand the viscious cycle it leads to where young and impressionable lads and girls get caught up in it because of no one making that big a deal out of it.
Yeah, like drinking and smoking. I haven't seen a single family yet that hasn't been affected by drink. When are we going to something about that vicious cycle?
Glad someone else has pointed out they are drugs also.
Quote from: Taylor on October 09, 2019, 10:41:33 AM
Just because drinking & smoking is legal it doesnt mean they effect people any less.
While drug use is on the increase, especially in rural areas, one can assume it has a long way to go before it reaches the destructive levels that drink and smoking have reached
Exactly
The problems with alcohol are well known, the issue with drug use is much less known and this topic is trying to raise some awareness. I don't think it needs to be turned into a comparison with drink, there are topics discussing alcohol and the effects of it.
As I said, I was totally naïve to the increasing usage among young people in my local area and how accessible it is. It shocked me. The more the use of recreational drugs is normalised, the bigger the issue is going to get.
Quote from: Gaagaagaa20 on October 09, 2019, 09:34:10 AM
Reality is individual clubs can take a stand against this by removing those who they know are involved in drug use from their teams and strip them of club membership. It has absolutely zero place in our communities or our association.
I couldn't agree
less with this highlighted comment above.
Apart from the impossible position this would put the clubs in, it could absolutely have a detrimental effect on the person being excluded.
There are people/kids who for them the club is the only positive thing in their lives. Exercise, camaraderie and a feeling of belonging to a club may well be all kids from broken families/homes have to look forward to in their lives. What would happen them if it was removed? They could well spiral further down that hole of drink/drugs/anti-social behaviour.
Yes clubs should take a stand, but only in terms of educating their members. If you tell a kid they are out because they made a mistake, there is no coming back. However, if you educate that same kid to the health and social dangers of drugs and highlight their fitness and therefore ability to play will be affected, then perhaps this can be the carrot.
Then there is also the legal aspect. How can you legally expel someone from a club? Unless there is a rule for it, you can't do it.
...just to add, I agree with the sentiments that drugs seem to be much more widely available and socially acceptable than they were when I was a teenager.
My eldest is 14 and it terrifies me that she will become more exposed to that world in the very near future and kids being kids could make a bad choice. All you can do as a parent is try to educate and re-assure.
It's a scary world out there these days with social media, drugs, porn.....kids have such easy access to all of these things which we never had growing up. It puts a lot of pressure on them and I don't know what the answer is.
I left the holylands 4 years ago, the last year I was there (2015) coke was rife as well as ecstasy. Up to that point the only thing I'd ever experienced was weed being common and never had any encounters with the others.
Seemed to be a load of the 18year olds first moving up that year that were into it. It got to the point where ones were taking Es to sit in the bot downstairs bar and drink pints.
I used to love the Hatfield and there last year I happened to be in belfast so rang my friend to a pint for old times sake, was about 1pm on a Sunday. Lads were in the toilets doing coke.
Serious serious problem and I'm not sure how it can be helped. It's not like the ones in the holylands lack stimulus for things to do.
Quote from: Gaagaagaa20 on October 09, 2019, 10:30:44 AM
Quote from: HiMucker on October 09, 2019, 10:04:28 AM
Quote from: Gaagaagaa20 on October 09, 2019, 09:34:10 AM
Reality is individual clubs can take a stand against this by removing those who they know are involved in drug use from their teams and strip them of club membership. It has absolutely zero place in our communities or our association.
To be honest thats an absolute non runner. Impossible to police and unfair to expect club members to police it. Its not like fellas be landing down to the club off their nut. How would you go about it? "Johnny I hear you were doing a few lines at a party at the weekend, dont come back through those gates". Hes likely to tell you to go fcuk yourself.
Well then dont come crying and complaining when the culture develops. If this sort of stuff was nipped in the bud then there is no issue. People involved in this sort of carry on need ostracised from the community and then young people will think twice about engaging in behaviour like this. Not a nice thing to have to do but ultimately needed.
Would it not be better offering to get help to the lad rather to add to his woe's by booting him out of the club?
Same with lads who indulge in too much alcohol, smoking and even gambling.
It's all too easy to look down your nose at someone taking drugs, the alcoholic and the likes but sometimes it's very much a case of there but for the grace of God go I.
Quote from: markl121 on October 09, 2019, 11:19:18 AM
I left the holylands 4 years ago, the last year I was there (2015) coke was rife as well as ecstasy. Up to that point the only thing I'd ever experienced was weed being common and never had any encounters with the others.
Seemed to be a load of the 18year olds first moving up that year that were into it. It got to the point where ones were taking Es to sit in the bot downstairs bar and drink pints.
I used to love the Hatfield and there last year I happened to be in belfast so rang my friend to a pint for old times sake, was about 1pm on a Sunday. Lads were in the toilets doing coke.
Serious serious problem and I'm not sure how it can be helped. It's not like the ones in the holylands lack stimulus for things to do.
That's scary. Those students would have got drugs awareness sessions all through school, their generation is well educated on the dangers, yet it doesn't seem to make much of a difference.
Is it a herd mentality as to why people start? Are people afraid to say no? Drugs were always about when we were all younger but less people took them. What's the difference nowadays?
Ireland has a bigger problem with gambling and alcohol as opposed to Drugs. Drugs while a problem are no where near the epidemic that gambling or alcohol is.
Drugs are here to stay. It's now about education and management of the issue. Taking drugs in as safe a way as possible. Banning people from GAA clubs or pushing them to the fringes of society won't help. These people aren't the stereotypical "out of it crustys", they are everyday people, Accountants, Tradesmen, Doctors etc Drugs are in every town and village and they are here to stay.
Quote from: trailer on October 09, 2019, 12:57:04 PM
Ireland has a bigger problem with gambling and alcohol as opposed to Drugs. Drugs while a problem are no where near the epidemic that gambling or alcohol is.
Drugs are here to stay. It's now about education and management of the issue. Taking drugs in as safe a way as possible. Banning people from GAA clubs or pushing them to the fringes of society won't help. These people aren't the stereotypical "out of it crustys", they are everyday people, Accountants, Tradesmen, Doctors etc Drugs are in every town and village and they are here to stay.
Very important point.
People are quick to see some fella steaming drunk "Oh he must be on drugs". So uninformed. People on drugs (I'm talking mostly the likes of Coke etc) operate quite easily day to day, indeed the stimulants from the drug actually helps their daily routine - believe it or not.
If someone has a drug issue then booting him out of the club is likely to make his problem worse, not better. Community is the best antidote to substance abuse.
All this talk of awareness ain't work a fúck.
Everyone is aware that it can be bad for ye - but most would think either "don't care" or "won't happen to me".
If folks want to take 'em and there is a ready supply - then there is very little you'll do to stop them.
But given that the dogs on the street know where to get their stuff, you'd wonder just what planet the police/courts system is operating on.
Quote from: RadioGAAGAA on October 09, 2019, 05:26:24 PM
All this talk of awareness ain't work a fúck.
Everyone is aware that it can be bad for ye - but most would think either "don't care" or "won't happen to me".
If folks want to take 'em and there is a ready supply - then there is very little you'll do to stop them.
But given that the dogs on the street know where to get their stuff, you'd wonder just what planet the police/courts system is operating on.
Yeah I think you're right.
And considering a hell of a lot of the drugs come into the country, makes you wonder what the police, customs, security, navy etc are at.
Quote from: RadioGAAGAA on October 09, 2019, 05:26:24 PM
All this talk of awareness ain't work a fúck.
Everyone is aware that it can be bad for ye - but most would think either "don't care" or "won't happen to me".
If folks want to take 'em and there is a ready supply - then there is very little you'll do to stop them.
But given that the dogs on the street know where to get their stuff, you'd wonder just what planet the police/courts system is operating on.
I'm sure if you spent infinite funds on suppressing the supply side then I'm sure you could stop it. I just think that the demand side is where you've got a better chance of getting results. The war on drugs has ended up causing more harm than the drugs themselves.
Quote from: Eamonnca1 on October 09, 2019, 08:51:08 PM
Quote from: RadioGAAGAA on October 09, 2019, 05:26:24 PM
All this talk of awareness ain't work a fúck.
Everyone is aware that it can be bad for ye - but most would think either "don't care" or "won't happen to me".
If folks want to take 'em and there is a ready supply - then there is very little you'll do to stop them.
But given that the dogs on the street know where to get their stuff, you'd wonder just what planet the police/courts system is operating on.
I'm sure if you spent infinite funds on suppressing the supply side then I'm sure you could stop it. I just think that the demand side is where you've got a better chance of getting results. The war on drugs has ended up causing more harm than the drugs themselves.
The cat is out of the bag with regards to drugs, probably worldwide unfortunately. Nothing we can do.....but, chop the legs off the organised criminals who bring this stuff and profit from misery?
It's maybe time to start debating legalisation and therefore taxation at an extremely high level - Those of us who do not partake can expect National Services to be infinitely better, like somewhere say California who have undergone something similar. Those who are unfortunately 'hooked' for want of a better word can at least get drugs of relative 'clean' purity and in paying for them, still somehow contribute to society.
I know there are a lot of ifs and buts to the above. But I just don't see how else you can stop the supply of drugs worldwide. Maybe it's time we embraced some new thinking as the way it's looking right now, if you want it, you'll get it.
Quote from: GetOverTheBar on October 10, 2019, 12:42:13 PM
Quote from: Eamonnca1 on October 09, 2019, 08:51:08 PM
Quote from: RadioGAAGAA on October 09, 2019, 05:26:24 PM
All this talk of awareness ain't work a fúck.
Everyone is aware that it can be bad for ye - but most would think either "don't care" or "won't happen to me".
If folks want to take 'em and there is a ready supply - then there is very little you'll do to stop them.
But given that the dogs on the street know where to get their stuff, you'd wonder just what planet the police/courts system is operating on.
I'm sure if you spent infinite funds on suppressing the supply side then I'm sure you could stop it. I just think that the demand side is where you've got a better chance of getting results. The war on drugs has ended up causing more harm than the drugs themselves.
The cat is out of the bag with regards to drugs, probably worldwide unfortunately. Nothing we can do.....but, chop the legs off the organised criminals who bring this stuff and profit from misery?
It's maybe time to start debating legalisation and therefore taxation at an extremely high level - Those of us who do not partake can expect National Services to be infinitely better, like somewhere say California who have undergone something similar. Those who are unfortunately 'hooked' for want of a better word can at least get drugs of relative 'clean' purity and in paying for them, still somehow contribute to society.
I know there are a lot of ifs and buts to the above. But I just don't see how else you can stop the supply of drugs worldwide. Maybe it's time we embraced some new thinking as the way it's looking right now, if you want it, you'll get it.
Think thats probably the way things will happen, the thing at the minute is, even if there was a massive effort to stop drugs getting into the country then due to the demand all that will happen is the drugs that do get in will be cut with even more crap and the purity diluted with zero regard for the end user, the dealers will still want their nice steady flow of cash and the user will still want their bag of powder regardless of the crap thats in it and sold to them as 'cocaine'
Was talking to a night club owner in a provincial town recently and he said that the sale of alcohol has fallen substantially over the last decade and put it down to the drug epidemic. He was of the opinion that the move towards recreational drugs with the youth was down to a few different things, namely aesthetics, cost and the ability to function more easily the next day. I'm not sure how true this is but it appears as though these class A drugs have become more socially acceptable with a younger generation. Alcohol misuse is a major problem in Ireland but at least it is a relatively controlled substance whereas these other recreational drugs are not.
Drink being extortianately dear might have its part to play there.
Quote from: yellowcard on October 10, 2019, 01:17:49 PM
Was talking to a night club owner in a provincial town recently and he said that the sale of alcohol has fallen substantially over the last decade and put it down to the drug epidemic. He was of the opinion that the move towards recreational drugs with the youth was down to a few different things, namely aesthetics, cost and the ability to function more easily the next day. I'm not sure how true this is but it appears as though these class A drugs have become more socially acceptable with a younger generation. Alcohol misuse is a major problem in Ireland but at least it is a relatively controlled substance whereas these other recreational drugs are not.
A niece of mine recently had an 18th birthday after party in a pub function room
Supposedly cocaine use was widespread among the attendees
Quote from: bennydorano on October 10, 2019, 01:19:54 PM
Drink being extortianately dear might have its part to play there.
A gram of Coke is anywhere from 40-60 quid.
A gram of coke means nothing to me. How long would that last an average, social, user?
Quote from: The Bearded One on October 10, 2019, 02:22:04 PM
A gram of coke means nothing to me. How long would that last an average, social, user?
A night.
Should last a night to an average user....Could be gone in a few hours. Suppose the purity of said gram would be the biggest factor on how long it would last you...all in all, it's not exactly a cheap habit either.
So a student socialising 3 nights a week is spending £120-180 a week to fund a recreational drug habit. Christ.
Quote from: The Bearded One on October 10, 2019, 02:33:44 PM
So a student socialising 3 nights a week is spending £120-180 a week to fund a recreational drug habit. Christ.
Like anything, the more you buy the cheaper it will get I suppose. Few lads / lassies chip in together etc.
It was much worse years ago when mephedrone (bath salts / legal highs) were on the scene. That stuff was rock bottom priced.
Quote from: whitey on October 10, 2019, 02:11:17 PM
Quote from: yellowcard on October 10, 2019, 01:17:49 PM
Was talking to a night club owner in a provincial town recently and he said that the sale of alcohol has fallen substantially over the last decade and put it down to the drug epidemic. He was of the opinion that the move towards recreational drugs with the youth was down to a few different things, namely aesthetics, cost and the ability to function more easily the next day. I'm not sure how true this is but it appears as though these class A drugs have become more socially acceptable with a younger generation. Alcohol misuse is a major problem in Ireland but at least it is a relatively controlled substance whereas these other recreational drugs are not.
A niece of mine recently had an 18th birthday after party in a pub function room
Supposedly cocaine use was widespread among the attendees
Jesus Christ, that's a scary thought.
I'm sure there are those taking it that have seen and heard about the troubles/deaths of users, they got awareness/education in schools about it, and been lectured by parents on the dangers... yet still they end up getting into drugs.
What else can we do? I have nieces and nephews that age, and I'd like to think they'd be sensible and not go near this stuff, but everyone thinks the same about their own. So, what can we do other than lock them up? Jesus, it's worrying.
Quote from: whitey on October 10, 2019, 02:11:17 PM
Quote from: yellowcard on October 10, 2019, 01:17:49 PM
Was talking to a night club owner in a provincial town recently and he said that the sale of alcohol has fallen substantially over the last decade and put it down to the drug epidemic. He was of the opinion that the move towards recreational drugs with the youth was down to a few different things, namely aesthetics, cost and the ability to function more easily the next day. I'm not sure how true this is but it appears as though these class A drugs have become more socially acceptable with a younger generation. Alcohol misuse is a major problem in Ireland but at least it is a relatively controlled substance whereas these other recreational drugs are not.
A niece of mine recently had an 18th birthday after party in a pub function room
Supposedly cocaine use was widespread among the attendees
Username stacks up
Quote from: The Bearded One on October 10, 2019, 02:33:44 PM
So a student socialising 3 nights a week is spending £120-180 a week to fund a recreational drug habit. Christ.
Students are socialising three nights a week?
Quote from: Esmarelda on October 10, 2019, 03:30:48 PM
Quote from: The Bearded One on October 10, 2019, 02:33:44 PM
So a student socialising 3 nights a week is spending £120-180 a week to fund a recreational drug habit. Christ.
Students are socialising three nights a week?
Was a nice 5 in my day.
Sometimes I still think of Renshaws.
Quote from: Esmarelda on October 10, 2019, 03:30:48 PM
Quote from: The Bearded One on October 10, 2019, 02:33:44 PM
So a student socialising 3 nights a week is spending £120-180 a week to fund a recreational drug habit. Christ.
Students are socialising three nights a week?
Easily!!
How do 18 year olds afford cocaine?
Cocaine was usually the drug of the working professional and it was pills and weed that students would have been into in my day.
Quote from: yellowcard on October 10, 2019, 01:17:49 PM
Was talking to a night club owner in a provincial town recently and he said that the sale of alcohol has fallen substantially over the last decade and put it down to the drug epidemic. He was of the opinion that the move towards recreational drugs with the youth was down to a few different things, namely aesthetics, cost and the ability to function more easily the next day. I'm not sure how true this is but it appears as though these class A drugs have become more socially acceptable with a younger generation. Alcohol misuse is a major problem in Ireland but at least it is a relatively controlled substance whereas these other recreational drugs are not.
Reminds me of a story about the Arena (RIP) at the Drumsill in Armagh. We used to go in the heyday of the place when if you were underage you wore a tie to look respectable enough to get in and not waste the trip on the bus down from Lurgan. It was just a normal club but with such a great atmosphere that people took buses from all over. I used to run into people I knew from Belfast there, all dressed up.
After a hiatus of a few years we went back and didn't recognise the place. Boys in the car park calling out "speed or acid!" Inside it was all shirtless lads in jeans dancing flat out, sweat running out of them, blowing whistles, and if you wanted water you had to buy it in bottles at the bar for a steep price. No such thing as making your moves on the girls two songs before the slow set, because there was no slow set and no girls on the same planet that you could communicate with. A mate said he also went in the drug era and asked the girl behind the bar for a bottle of beer and she looked at him like he wasn't a bit wise.
Two different worlds.
A lot of posters on here with absolutely no confidence in our younger generation to be able to look after themselves.
Some posts here remind me of how our parents used to talk of me and my mates generation.
'Thon Wendy James from that band Transvision Vamp, you'd think she'd put some clothes on'.
Christ lads, do your best to be good parents, and have a bit of faith in your kids intelligence.
With online gambling and its rampant advertising, and the problem this country has with alcohol and our constant need to celebrate and commiserate with it, I would be far more worried about these two demons than I would be about drugs.
Drugs are everywhere now. They are even rife in once republican heartland estates. Some turnaround in society when you think about it. The fact remains though that 20 years ago, if you wanted them, you could get them. Our young ones still have to make the right choices in life. Some will and some wont.
The GAA is the centre of our community and should be doing it's best to help our young ones make the right choices and take the right path. They should not be about ostracising young ones on the wrong road IMO. The club could be the only chance an individual has of getting away from the dangers of drugs.
Quote from: lurganblue on October 11, 2019, 10:21:40 AM
Drugs are everywhere now. They are even rife in once republican heartland estates. Some turnaround in society when you think about it. The fact remains though that 20 years ago, if you wanted them, you could get them. Our young ones still have to make the right choices in life. Some will and some wont.
The GAA is the centre of our community and should be doing it's best to help our young ones make the right choices and take the right path. They should not be about ostracising young ones on the wrong road IMO. The club could be the only chance an individual has of getting away from the dangers of drugs.
Great point however it doesnt just apply to drugs.
Know of a number of young lads in the club who were wild on the drink but because of the football and the 'drink bans' their love for the game meant they wouldnt have went mental on the drink for 8 months of the year (the other 4 months are a different story).
Now that the same lads are older/wiser/settled down the drinking isnt a prevalant.
I believe that without the football there would have been noting to stop the lads going mental on the drink leading to further problems
My other concern about the drugs is how much cheaper the harder stuff is becoming. Take Cocaine for example. The claim always was that the usual purity found for personal use in Northern Ireland is 8-10% but that's based on a very small sample size done years ago. At the time it matched what was being detected in England and Wales. Last year they redid the analysis in England and Wales and the average purity has now increased to 54% which PSNI now accept would not be unusual if found here and in recent years small amounts of up to 80% pure have been detected in some instances.
Was working with a 17 year old apprentice when the Cookstown tragedy happened and conversation came to nights out and drink amongst the young ones. He told me a lot of his friends dont drink much now on a Friday or a Saturday, just a few early in someones house before they go to the club. They then get there bag of coke for 30-40 quid, gives them the 2-3 hour buzz they claim they need which they say they cant get on the drink for the same price. They wake up next morning relatively fresh with no hang over or smell of drink. Mammy and Daddy think they are great kids.
Dont know if there was any truth to what he was saying but I didnt see any reason not to believe him.