People had to rise up and take to the streets to try and stop the systematic destruction of their communities. Heroin, and increasingly crack cocaine, are the drugs that are always found in the poorest areas of a city. This is no coincidence in a system that has been grossly negligent of the needs of people. Poverty and depression are the outcome. People are all too used to seeing a bleak future being mapped out in front of them and drugs are one of the escape routes available.
Alcoholism is also rife.
Anything that can be used, will be used to give a partial release from that reality. Heroin is a killer drug. It is the major reason for the spread of HIV infection in Dublin. It is causing all kinds of medical problems. In any hospital in Dublin if you sit in casualty long enough another overdose case will arrive.