'North Antrim facing drugs crisis' - Save The Next One
North Antrim is facing a drugs crisis, according to a local community worker, speaking as part of our Save The Next One campaign.
Jim Wright is originally from Glasgow but has lived in Ballymoney for over 20 years.
He has witnessed firsthand the damage drugs can do in the Scottish city and claims Ballymoney and the North Antrim area is going the same way.
"My wee young brother decided to with a different crowd from me, got involved in drugs," he said.
"He became quite a big drug dealer in Glasgow, then through that became a bank robber.
"Consequently, he then did time for murder."
His time in Glasgow was full of seeing those around him taken away by the clutches of drugs or criminality surrounding it.
"Quite a few of the boys I was at school with, half of them are now dead, or some of them are in jail through drugs," hes aid.
"So it's had a personal effect on me, I can see how it ravages families."
Through his work in the community, Jim claims to have seen the telltale signs that the drugs problem is heading down a more sinister path.
"You can see the first steps on how it originated in Glasgow," he said.
"People need to wake up.
"They're going to wake up some morning but their son or their daughter won't.
"People think it's fun to take drugs, but it's not. It's Russian roulette."
Closer to home, Jim admitted his work is inspired by his hopes for his youngest son and the type of place he wants him to grow up in.
"I've got a young boy of 13 and I don't want him to go down the same road," he said.
"I've seen what it did to my eldest son. I mean, he's not bad, but he's got problems with it now.
"He's been smoking dope since he was 15 and he's starting to have mental health issues with it."
Jim has called for greater funding for community policing and for more of a crackdown from the authorities on the likes of Facebook sites selling drugs openly without censure.
"The PSNI are underfunded, even the community police," he said.
"There are three police cars in this area on a Saturday night.
"Three police cars! So if you have trouble, what are they going to do?
"The resources aren't there."
If you wish to contact us to tell us your story of how drugs have impacted your life, you can do so by emailing news@downtown.co.uk or if you wish to seek help for addiction issues, more information can be found here.