Debate contribution: Addiction and Drug-related Deaths

Debate contribution by Ms Cara Hunter on 23 April 2024.

MLA

Ms Cara Hunter

Party at the time

Social Democratic and Labour Party

Date

23 April 2024

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Addiction and Drug-related Deaths

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4485526

Read the official Assembly record

Text

First, I thank the Members who tabled this really important motion. I thank Órlaithí for the large amount of work that she has done on this. I know that she cares passionately about the issue, and I thank her for tabling today's motion. I echo the sentiment today in offering my condolences to families that have lost someone due to drugs or alcohol. My constituency colleague Mr Robinson touched so eloquently on the complexities of the lives that those people live and on the fact that, in the Causeway Coast and Glens area, we have a real drug problem and that a lot of people need to know that support is out there. It is so difficult for the family network, but help is out there, so please seek it. I welcome today's debate on this pressing issue, which has been silently harming our communities. For years, we have seen the undeniable link between drug use, alcoholism, mental ill health, suicide and, of course, in the North, intergenerational trauma. Those issues have defined the lives, families and even childhoods of so many of us. At the Education Committee, I raised the real need for us, as MLAs and Committee members, to recognise how addiction impacts on the entire home and the children within it. We need to recognise the impact that such behaviour can have on children at school and their achievements. It can often act as an adverse childhood experience. It can shape their later life and push them into having an addiction as well. Behind the stark statistics of addiction and drug deaths lie real humans and real human stories, each one a tragedy. Each one has a family, and each one is a desperate call for action. Let us start with some awful statistics. In 2022, there were 154 drug-related deaths. While that was a decrease from the previous year, it is so important to recognise that drug-related deaths have been on a steady rise since 2012, with a staggering 98% increase. Over two-thirds of those deaths were classified as drug misuse deaths, affecting predominately men and with the 25-44 age group bearing the brunt of the crisis. There is a real emphasis on awareness that that demographic — that age group — is struggling so significantly. We need to ensure that we are creating safe spaces for young men and fellas to open up and talk about mental health. Mrs Dodds touched on dual diagnosis. I celebrate the work of the MLAs, including my colleague Mark Durkan, on that APG. It is so positive to see the cross-party support for those kinds of initiatives and to hear colleagues talking about the societal issues that impact on every one of us and our families at some point in our life.

The numbers that I have just mentioned only scratch the surface. They fail to capture what is a complex web of pain and suffering that lies beneath those who struggle with addiction. Behind each death lies a story of despair that is often rooted in intergenerational trauma. Many use opioids, for example, to numb psychological and physical pain. For many, drugs and alcohol offer temporary escape from a cycle of pain, but, tragically, that often leads to further anguish, death and destruction. The link between substance abuse and mental health is irrefutable, and those who struggle with trauma and depression too often turn to drugs and alcohol as a coping mechanism, only to find themselves further trapped in a vicious cycle of addiction. As the grip of addiction tightens, the risk of suicide, sadly, looms ever larger. It is a vicious cycle that is perpetuated by the legacy of our troubled history. It is important to note — we are well aware of this — the impact that the Troubles have had on people of all backgrounds and beliefs across the North. There is an undeniable link with that: people use alcohol and drugs to cope with what has happened in their life, perhaps in their childhood; they have children who witness alcoholism in the home and see parents who struggle to cope with trauma; and that passes through the generations. I am delighted that we are having the conversation today. Amidst the darkness, there is hope. We have the power to break that cycle, to offer support and compassion to those in need and to address the root causes of addiction and mental illness. That is why we support the amendment and the motion. It starts with recognising that substance abuse is not simply a matter of choice but often a symptom of a deeper societal problem. The substance use strategy and harm reduction models must urgently be implemented. I have found, in four years of being an MLA, that people who need access to mental health support have a real struggle. For example, if you have drink or drugs in your system and you present to A&E to look for help, you do not get it; you are pushed away. We need to look at how we can best support vulnerable people when they are at their lowest. We will support the amendment and the motion. I thank the Health Minister for being here; I know that he cares passionately about the issue. I echo the thanks to our leader, Colum Eastwood, for working with the British Government on the Northlands centre. I hope that the Executive can support that.

905 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 10:08 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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