One mother whose child has battled drug addiction has said there is 'no such thing' as recreational drug use.
Mary was speaking as cocaine use is said to have become more common among farmers.
In June, the Health Research Board revealed the drug is now the most common drug that people seek treatment for.
Mary, whose son had a drug problem, told Lunchtime Live it was like a black prism with no way out.
"Thank God we're out the other side of it now," she said.
"When we were going through it, it was like a black prism - we just couldn't see anyway out.
"All my kids tried it and one got caught, got trapped in the cycle.
"Eventually our child came to us and told us what was going on, and told us how much he owed."
Mary said he managed to pay off his drug debt.
"He had to try and find a way [to pay]; family members, credit union," she said.
"He got that cleared, and trying to get help then for our child was very hard.
"We're in a rural area, you can't talk that much to neighbours and stuff about it.
"Nobody wants to put their head above the parapet."
Mary said her son got help with thanks to a "fantastic GP" who got him treatment.
'No such thing'
Mary said any family could find themselves in the same position.
"Our local football club had people down that spoke about it and everything," she said.
"You kind of feel the general attitude around is, 'That's for someone else's kids, it's not mine and mine won't do it'.
"I know from talking to my own family, they're all doing it but there's the couple then that are getting really badly caught."
Mary said so-called recreational drug use is helping drug dealers to prey on weaker people.
"They do recreational drugs: there's no such thing," he said.
"If you're doing it you're feeding someone else's finances to get more.
"They're financing these drug dealers that are out there and preying on the weaker ones.
"They're going out maybe Friday night and using it... seemingly 90% of them are chancing it and doing it.
"They're always be some of them that will get caught and will get into serious problems with it.
"It's terrible the damage it does in a family, it can tear a family apart".
'It's just a nightmare'
Mary said she saw her child go from a "good, kind child who turns into this vicious, aggressive, horrible person.
"You're waiting when they come in the door for them to start fighting and arguing.
"It's just a nightmare.
"Even when you get them out the other side of it, you're still worrying if it's going to come back again."
Mary said there is always the concern of a relapse.
"Our child is in a good place at the moment; but like that they're watching themselves every time they go out the door and we're watching them," she said.
"It'll only take that one shot, that one sniff to get you back where you were.
"It's like people with alcoholics, they kind of go... 'Ah sure one won't kill you' and it's same way with being out when you have drug problems," she added.
Anyone affected by issues raised in this article can contact the HSE Drugs and Alcohol Helpline on 1800-459-459
