Inside Belfast’s Deadly Benzos Boom | The War on Drugs

This is how decades of conflict have shaped Northern Ireland’s prescription drug scene and why it is leading to alarming drug deaths among young people. Benzodiazepines—a class of sedative drugs, known by name brands like Xanax and Valium, that are commonly prescribed to treat anxiety and depression—are a major part of Northern Ireland’s drug culture, with recreational users often necking down benzos alongside party drugs like cocaine or MDMA in a way that’s uncommon in the rest of the UK. For the latest episode of VICE’s War on Drugs series, we explore Northern Ireland’s appetite for benzos, known colloquially as blues or yellows, and how it has its roots in the decades of sectarian conflict known as The Troubles. You can find Durt Burt’s music here: Instagram: @ Tik tok: @ Click here to subscribe to VICE: About VICE: The Definitive Guide To Enlightening Information. From every corner of the planet, our immersive, caustic, ground-breaking and often bizarre stories have changed the way people think about culture, crime, art, parties, fashion, protest, the internet and other subjects that don’t even have names yet. Browse the growing library and discover corners of the world you never knew existed. Welcome to VICE. Connect with VICE: Check out our full video catalog: Videos, daily editorial and more: More videos from the VICE network: Click here to get the best of VICE daily: Like VICE on Facebook: Follow VICE on Twitter: Follow us on Instagram: Follow us on TikTok: @vice?lang=en The VICE YouTube Network: VICE: MUNCHIES: VICE News: VICE TV: @VICE-TV/featured VICE Life: Noisey: Motherboard: VICE Sports: Waypoint: #vice #drugs #crime