This article is from page 18 of the 2014-02-11 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 18 JPG
THE Mayor of Clare has challenged young people in Ennis to have the “courage” to say no to drugs
Cllr Joe Arkins (FG) was speaking to a group of teenagers at the launch of a Drugs Awareness Art Project in the headquarters of Clare County Council earlier this month.
Students attending the Ennis Community Development Project Traveller Education Peer Support Project designed a calendar aimed at highlighting greater awareness of the dangers of drug abuse.
Praising the effort and dedication of the students who all come from a Traveller background in Ennis, Cllr Arkins said it was important they now stand by the work they have done over the past 12 months.
He explained, “People take drugs because they believe they will change their lives. They can be certain about that, it will change their lives but it will change it for the worse. People take drugs because they think it’s going to solve a problem. It doesn’t solve a problem. It creates a problem.
“I salute the wonderful work you have done. But it is important you have the courage to stand by the work you have done and to be peers amongst your own. So when some youngster in school tell you he can get a bit of weed, or he can get this that or the other drug and it will do you no harm…you have to have the courage to stand up and you have to have the courage to say not it isn’t, no it doesn’t, no it won’t.”
Cllr Arkins also praised the work of Ennis CDP and the Mid Western Regional Drugs Taskforce who supported the campaign.
He added, “The most important thing I’ll tell ye lads is have the courage to stand by the work ye have done here. Ye have done absolutely wonderful work but have the courage to bring it forward for the year into the rest of yer lives and into the lives of the people ye come across. Have the courage to stand up and say anyone who takes drugs is a fool.”