Ógra Shinn Féin to launch Major Drug and Alcohol Campaign

national | miscellaneous | news report Monday January 14, 2008 11:59 by N.A.R.C - Ógra Shinn Féin osfnational at yahoo dot ie

Ógra Shinn Féin will launch a major National campaign on Drugs and Alcohol this coming weekend in Dublin.

The launch will take place this Saturday 19th January at the youth movement’s National Congress in the ATGWU Hall, Middle Abbey Street, Dublin at 2pm. Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams will be attending the launch.

The campaign which will run for the next 6 months is called N.A.R.C, an acronym for not another ravaged community.

It will focus on many issues relating to drug and alcohol abuse, including youth and community action, gaining a more concerted effort from government, and rolling out a vigorous and broad based awareness programme.

The National Organiser of Ógra Shinn Féin, Barry McColgan speaking on the importance of such a campaign, said,

“Drug and alcohol abuse present a huge problem to modern Irish society leaving behind a trail of destroyed lives and ravaged communities. Ireland has for a long time struggled with chronic levels of alcoholism, and in recent years witnessed an alarming growth in the misuse and abuse of illicit drugs.”

“This cannot and will not be a finger wagging exercise, while our message is essentially pro community and anti drugs, we aim primarily to raise awareness on all matters relating to drugs and alcohol. This is not about lecturing young people but about acting as peers who are concerned at the negative effects which drugs have on a community.”

“As young republicans we believe in community led socialism, in a confident people collectively determining their own future on a localised and needs basis. However, we have all witnessed the disempowering and destructive effects that drugs, and those who are building drug empires have on communities and we wish to ignite a spark that will challenge and reverse that.”

“This will be a broad based campaign and throughout we will be engaging and working with many different progressive and related groups. This is an issue for all of us, an issue that collectively we can begin to address.”

“The N.A.R.C campaign has the potential to act as catalyst in re-igniting a proper discussion on the whole issue of drugs and how we the Irish people can relevantly campaign and act to lower the huge levels of abuse and devastating effects on our communities.”