A SERIES of community-based awareness campaigns about the dangers of cocaine use will take place over the coming months, Minister of State Pat Carey announced yesterday.
Government funding of €2 million is being made available for local campaigns which will be run by local and regional drugs taskforces.
As well as raising awareness of the health risks posed by cocaine use, the campaigns will highlight the supports available for the rehabilitation of drug users.
The Government has faced criticism in recent times that it has not been doing enough to highlight the risks posed by the drug following a series of cocaine-related deaths over the past 12 months.
However, the Minister said the new funding would dovetail with a national Health Service Executive awareness campaign on cocaine which was launched recently.
Mr Carey, who is the Minister responsible for implementing the national drugs strategy, said local taskforces were the best place to deliver focused campaigns through their links with communities affected by drugs.
"It is vital that we empower drug users to regain their capacity for daily life so that they can reintegrate back into their families and communities and start to lead meaningful lives again.
"I look forward to the benefits that the funding under this initiative will bring to people who have suffered because of problem drug use," said Mr Carey.
In addition, funding is being provided through drugs taskforces to strengthen and further develop initiatives aimed at tackling cocaine use in local communities.
To date, about €1.4 million has been provided through the national drugs strategy to support cocaine-specific projects in communities around the State.
Mr Carey said tackling cocaine use, as well as other drugs, would form part of a new seven-year national drugs strategy.
In the meantime he urged anyone considering dabbling with drugs to think long and hard about the consequences.
"It is crucial that people understand the health issues and other dangers associated with experimentation and dabbling with drugs," he said.
"I also want to emphasise again the broader societal harm that can be caused by drug use, including the criminal activity arising from the supplying of drugs and the disproportionate effect that this can have in disadvantaged areas."