Meeting to discuss mephedrone plague

Currynierin community worker Mickey Carlin warns that the "new drug" has the potential to be as damaging as notorious Class A drugs like cocaine, ecstasy, heroin and speed.

He is urging people to come along to a specially convened public meeting tonight to learn more about the dangers of the drug.

The meeting is being organised by the Divert Project in partnership with the Currynierin Community Association and Ardmore Pastoral Centre will be the venue tonight Wednesday, June 23 at 7.30pm.

Mr Carlin said the drug has been sweeping across our communities; devastating families; damaging our society and shattering lives, over recent months.

He commented: "As you can appreciate this problem is getting worse and is not going away so it would be better for us to educate the parents and what signs to look for."

The lead service provider for Alcohol and Drug Education, Prevention and Early intervention, Divert are only too familiar with the drug and have seen a major increase in the number of young people and adults using the drug since before the Christmas period.

Brnach, Coordinator of Divert said: " We are working strenuously to raise the awareness of the effects of this drug and have been inundated with calls from concerned parents in relation to their children misusing the substance.

"This drug is not targeted at any particular subset of our society. We have children as young as 14 using mephedrone as well as young adults who have been hazardously taking the drug over a number of days without a break."

Divert have professional workers on the ground who are trained and skilled to offer educational advice and support in relation to mephedrone and other substances and would encourage any young person or concerned parent to come forward to the project for help.