The publication of a landmark report on Drug-Related Intimidation (DRI) in Northern Ireland, offering the most comprehensive analysis to date of its nature, prevalence, and impact across the region, has been welcomed by Ministers of Justice and Health.

The report, produced by the Public Health Agency and commissioned by the Executive Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime (EPPOC), reveals the widespread and complex harms caused by DRI, affecting individuals, families, and entire communities.

Key findings of the report reveal:

• Nearly 40% of the general population are aware of suspected or real DRI occurring in their community.

• One in eight people reported direct experience of DRI within the last three years. The findings highlight the harms caused by the often complicated relationship between drug debt, organised crime, paramilitary groups, and social vulnerability. The report outlines the devastating effects of intimidation on young people, families, and communities, calling for an urgent, coordinated, cross-sectoral response.

Justice Minister Naomi Long, the lead Minister for EPPOC, said: "Drug-related intimidation is a deeply corrosive force in our society. It preys on vulnerability, fuels fear and undermines the very fabric of our communities. This report lays bare the scale and complexity of the challenge we face, and it demands action."

Minister Long committed to working with all sectors, including health, housing, education, and community organisations, to deliver a joined-up response. She also praised the courage and insight of the victims, families, and frontline workers whose voices guided the report.

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt called the output "compulsory reading for all across Government." He acknowledged that people who use drugs often face stigma and intimidation, which leads to a "spiral of substance use, exploitation, and being pulled into criminal activity." Minister Nesbitt confirmed that plans are underway to use the report to inform a collective, holistic, and compassionate response.