Understanding the organisation, scale, nature and dynamics of illicit drug markets is a critical requirement for effective policy-making and for interventions designed to disrupt their operation and to minimise the associated harms. Through in-depth research with people involved in the illicit drug market in Ireland, as drug users or sellers, as professionals responding to it or as residents affected by it, this research fills a significant knowledge gap in this important area of Irish drug policy.

The study objectives were to:

• Examine the various factors that can influence the development of local drug markets.

• Examine the nature, organisation and structure of Irish drug markets.

• Examine the impact of drug-dealing and drug markets on local communities.

• Describe and assess interventions in drug markets with a view to identifying what further interventions are needed.