Families are being forced to flee the country because of intimidation by drug dealers they are indebted to, an addiction specialist has warned.
Following the death of Kim and Philip English and two of their children in a house fire on Tuesday, a family member has said they had been terrorised by drug dealers for years.
John James English said his father and stepmother were not drug users but were being harassed because of someone else’s debt.
On Lunchtime Live, Priority Medical Clinic founder Dr Garrett McGovern said he had the “greatest sympathy” with the loved ones of the English family in Waterford.
However, he added that the issue of drug intimidation is sadly not rare and one he hears about on a nearly “weekly basis”.
“I work in some very marginalised communities,” he explained.
“The drug particularly that's fuelling this at the moment is crack cocaine, powder cocaine also.
“I mean, traditionally it would have been heroin and heroin is still there.
“Our presentations for heroin addiction are probably less than what they have been in previous years, but we're not really getting a handle on this particular issue.”
Lines of cocaine. Picture by: Alamy.com.Dr McGovern continued that while he has no hard evidence of this, he has heard anecdotally that people in debt often find their homes being commandeered by drug dealers.
The sums involved are often vast and those who are being intimidated typically live in poverty already.
It means they often find themselves forced to work for the dealer.
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“These are people who are already marginalised, suffering from lots of different issues,” he added.
“Many of them will have mental health issues, certainly addiction issues, that goes without saying.
“They just aren't in a position to pay any of this money.
“It's a debt that will never really be paid and they will come to us and they're terribly frightened and they don't know what to do.
“I have had patients where they've had to leave the country as a result of this level of intimidation.”
Anyone struggling with addiction issues can contact the HSE's free Drugs and Alcohol Helpline on 1800 459 459.
Main image: A woman threatened by violence. Picture by: PA Archive/PA Images/Alamy.com.
