Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 13 June 2024

Committee on Drugs Use

Citizens' Assembly on Drugs Use: Discussion

9:30 am

Mr. Paul Reid:

We have recommendations for greater awareness at all levels of education - primary, secondary, etc. We had a good debate on whether such programmes are better delivered by people who have lived experience or by teachers, but we believe in bringing in people with lived experience. We should say, though, that it is not a silver bullet. If someone comes from an area that has high levels of social deprivation, has had early-life trauma, has parents at home who are self injecting, then it is a different solution. It is not just how you teach people about it. There is a recommendation there; I would not say it is a silver bullet to solve this but it is important.