Addiction charity blames lockdown for rise in demand
An addiction support group in Londonderry says it has seen a post Covid lockdown increase in the numbers of people seeking help.
Dessie Kyle, manager of the HURT, centre said more than 600 people used the charity’s services in 2023.
That is a 35% rise in the number of people the group provided help to in the previous year and it has risen year-on-year since 2020.
“A lot of it would stem back to Covid, young people were feeling isolated and lonely,” Mr Kyle said.
“There was no shortage of drugs during lockdown,” he told BBC Radio Foyle’s North West Today programme.
Mr Kyle added: “Young people were inclined to experiment a bit more at home, to use substances they would never have thought of using before”.
Hurt supports young people in Londonderry, Limavady and Strabane who are dealing with alcohol and drug addiction.
Earlier this week the mother of a Derry teenager who died after taking drugs at a concert said she feels like her life is over following her daughter’s death.
Leanne McLaughlin, mother of 16-year-old Caitlin, said she hoped sharing her daughter’s story will help prevent another tragedy.
On Monday, at an inquest into Caitlin’s death a coroner said illegal drugs were often mixed with other substances, including rat poison, and even one ecstasy tablet could be enough to kill someone.
Speaking to BBC News NI on Tuesday, Ms McLaughlin said young people experimenting with drugs will often have no idea what they are actually taking.
“The clear message is don’t do it, just don’t do it,” she said.
Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency’s (Nisra) most recent figures show there were 154 drug deaths in 2022 - a 40% increase in the number of deaths in 2012.
'No quality control'
Mr Kyle said it was important to hear people like Caitlin’s mother speak publicly.
“Sometimes we got lost in numbers and statistics. But it’s more important we hear from the likes of Leanne,” he said.
“Please just think about the devastation this cause for families- a couple of hours of a buzz or a lifetime of heartache. That’s what it boils down to."
Drug users need to know that there is no way of knowing what they are taking, he added.
“Please just think about the devastation this cause for families - a couple of hours of a buzz or a lifetime of heartache. That’s what it boils down to.
“The people who manufacture these drugs don’t really care what they put in them as long as the bulk them up so they can increase the volume and weight and make more money out of it,” he said.
Rat poison and cement are commonly used in the manufacturing process, Mr Kyle said.
“There is no quality control on the production of these illegal substances.”
A total of 643 clients sought help from Hurt last year, the charity said, compared to 476 in 2022.
In 2021, the organisation recorded a total of 324 clients, while in 2020 a total of 182 people used Hurt's support services.
