Belfast charity's plans to highlight drugs deaths 'crisis'

Organisations working with people struggling with drug addiction in Northern Ireland are "firefighting", with the rising number of deaths linked to drugs hitting "crisis" point.

That's the warning from the People's Kitchen in Belfast, which is organising a rally at Stormont on Saturday to highlight the growing problem.

The 'Lost Lives, Empty Shoes' demonstration will see more than 200 pairs of shoes lined-up to illustrate the number of people known to have have died in 2021 alone to addiction.

People's Kitchen founder and Independent councillor Paul McCusker says he fears the number of recorded deaths will continue to rise.

"We see through our project the people who we've lost, we see the devastation that drugs have caused and people dying," said Mr McCusker.

He says a lot of organisations are providing support but that a greater response is needed.

"We are in crisis and that's the reality.

"It's people's lives that we're talking about here, people who reach out for help but quite often when they reach out for help they're having to wait long periods of time," said Mr McCusker.

Aside from the visible side of addiction on our streets, Mr McCusker says there are many people struggling with substance abuse in their homes.

"People who we work with would tell you that to get heroin or to get drugs in Belfast is like buying a packet of cigarettes," he said.

Mr McCusker says it's important people are remembered at Saturday's event but there's also an opportunity to call for better support for those caught up in a cycle of addiction.

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