To include the voices of young people at the Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs Use, youth consultations were carried out on behalf of the Department of Health.1 A report on these consultations was published in May 2023 in advance of the second meeting of the Citizens’ Assembly.2

Aims and methodology

The consultations aimed to give young people a voice at the Citizens’ Assembly. To meet this aim, the views of young people on the impact of drug use on their lives, families, and communities were explored, as well as their suggestions for appropriate responses to address the harms caused by drug use. There were two strands to this work – a group consultation and a survey – which intended to capture the views of young people with differing levels of exposure to
drug use.

Face-to-face group consultation – general population

The first strand explored the views of young people nominated by Comhairle na nÓg coordinators, which were described as being from the ‘general population’ (p. 7).2 There were 22 participants in this strand: six males, 13 females, and three non-binary young people. They ranged in age from 14 to 18 years, with a mean age of 16 years. The young people took part in a one-day face-to-face consultation in which a set of qualitative approaches were used to collect data. These were then analysed thematically.
The consultation focused on four questions.

1. How does drug use impact the young people’s lives and that of their families, friends, and communities?
2. What is the best approach to deal with the use of drugs?
3. What are young people’s issues and concerns around the use of drugs?
4. How could young people be better informed regarding drug use?

Survey – young people directly impacted by drug use

The second strand explored the views of young people ‘directly impacted by drug use’ (p. 30)2 and was carried out with the support of Hub na nÓg. This is a national centre of excellence for giving children and young people a voice in decision-making, established by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY). Participants in this strand were in contact with one of three services. Two services carried out ‘detached street work’ (p. 30),2 while the third was a youth diversion programme. Service providers invited young people to take part in a written survey, which contained four open-ended questions. Similar to the first strand, the first three questions explored their views on the impacts of drug use on the lives of young people, families, and communities; the fourth was ‘in an ideal world, what do you think could be done about the impacts of drug use on young people, their families and communities?’ (p. 31).2 These data were then analysed thematically.

Limitations/generalisability of consultations

The report presents the findings of a consultation exercise rather than a structured qualitative piece of research. Therefore, the findings and conclusions drawn by the author of the report should be considered within the context of some methodological limitations not recognised in the report.

• Given the convenience nature of the consultation’s approach to recruitment, it is important to note that these groups were not selected to be either statistically representative of the two populations or reflect the range and diversity of the profile of each population. Therefore, the findings are not generalisable.
• While the report includes frequency analysis of themes found, these cannot be taken to reflect anything beyond the frequency of views within the group of young people engaged in the consultation. Again, figures are not generalisable to any broader population.
• The report includes some ‘comparative analysis’ between the two groups of young people. Given that the questions asked and the approach to data collection were different for each group, the value of such comparisons is questionable.

Findings

Despite the limitations outlined above, the report provided some useful insights into the views and experiences of these two groups of young people in relation to drug use and the issues facing young people, their families, and communities. While not an exhaustive list of the findings, some of the recurring themes identified and highlighted in the report’s final chapter are given below.

Motivations to use drugs

A range of reasons was given for young people choosing to use drugs: drugs are easy to access in a wide variety of settings that they frequent; young people are influenced by their peers to do so; a perception exists that there is nothing else for young people to do in some communities; young people use drugs to self-medicate, as it is believed that drug use can help cope with anxiety and other mental health issues; and that drug use can be enjoyable.

Impact of drug use

In discussing the impact of drug use on individuals, families, and communities, a wide range of issues was identified.

• Health: It was perceived to have a negative impact on mental and physical health, including a risk of overdose, suicide, dependency, and addiction.
• Relationships: A young person’s drug use could have a negative impact on family and peer relationships, resulting in their isolation. Where a parent was using, this ran the risk of child neglect and a child being put into care.
• Reputation: Drug use was perceived to have a negative impact on the reputation not only of the person who uses drugs but also communities in which drug use is prevalent and those who live in those communities. Linked to this was the theme of shame, which could be experienced by young people either as a result of their drug use or use within their family.
• Crime and intimidation: Using drugs was perceived to run the risk of a young person being coerced into criminal behaviour, such as dealing, including due to having a drug debt. They also spoke of the threats and intimidation that could be experienced as a result of being involved in drug use. The negative impact of the criminalisation of drug use on people who use drugs was also recognised.
• Community life: In communities where drug use was a feature of daily life, it was seen as resulting in communities becoming ‘filthy and run down as a result of drug use and drug related waste’ (p. 52).2 It also created an environment in which young people became fearful of going to certain places and expressed concerns about the risk of exposing younger children to drug use.
• School and jobs: Drug use was perceived to have a negative impact on young people’s education and employment, as it could lead to early school leaving, unemployment, and an overall lack of motivation or low energy.
• Treatment and support: Concerns were expressed about a perceived absence of accessible treatment and support services for young people who use drugs and those negatively impacted by it in other ways. Barriers to treatment that were identified include the cost of treatment and the mandatory reporting requirements that prevent under 18s from accessing confidential drug treatment services. They described an overall lack of investment in services for young people, including mental health services.
• Education and awareness: Young people identified a gap in access to accessible, factual, and accurate information about drugs, drug use, and services. In some cases, young people reported that parents, teachers, youth workers, and other adults who interact with young people professionally were not well-informed about drugs and drug use.

Responses

The report identified four categories of responses to the drug issue from young people during the consultations.

• Treatment and support: Alongside investment in mental health services and services more broadly for young people, they would like to see ‘non-judgemental treatment for young people who use drugs and support for young people whose parents use drugs’ (p. 53).2 These services should be free/affordable and young people should be able to access services without the need for parental consent. Other services suggested that could reduce the harms included ‘back of house’ drug testing and supervised drug use.
• Legal reform: The author concludes that young people are calling for consideration to be given to the benefits of legalising the use of some drugs, in particular cannabis, and that they want possession of drugs for personal use to be decriminalised. However, it should also be noted that there was at least one differing view in the report where a young person (who had been impacted by drug use) argued for ‘more strict laws on drugs and drug use’ (p. 43).2 Given the methodology of the consultation, it is important that the range of views be considered.
• Education and awareness: Young people identified a need for better education and awareness around drug use by means of accurate and factual information about drugs, as well as better awareness about treatment services. They also want adults, in particular parents, to be better informed and more open to discussing the topic.
• Things to do and places to go: The consultation identified a need for better community-based activities for young people. Furthermore, for public areas in neighbourhoods to be better policed and maintained, including the removal of drug-related litter.

1    The consultations were conducted between November 2022 and March 2023 and were facilitated by DCEDIY and Hub na nÓg, on behalf of the Department of Health.

2    Egan A (2023) Report on the consultations with young people for the Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs Use. November 2022–March 2023. Dublin: Department of Health. Available from: https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/38759/