How drugs change my child's life

24 April 2012 Last updated at 01:48 ET By Ciara Riddell BBC NI District Journalist

A County Antrim woman has told the BBC how drugs turned her happy child into a withdrawn and agitated teenager.

She has claimed paramilitaries are behind drug dealing in east Antrim, and that drugs are readily available.

She said it was a major issue in the area and not enough was being done to stop drug dealers targeting young people.

Julia, not her real name, said she suspected her son was taking drugs when he was about 14-years-old.

She said he changed over a period of time from being a bubbly, family-orientated child to a withdrawn and agitated teenager.

Her fears were confirmed when she sought advice from her GP and drug awareness centres and was told what signs to look out for.

But she had never dreamed her son would become involved in drugs.

"I was embarrassed to go to other parents. You know everyone is talking about your child," she said.

"They get labelled as a scum bag and they're not. They get drawn into this thing. It puts pressure on everyone in the family."

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How drugs change my child's life