By 
OMAGH and Strabane are among several areas being targeted by individuals advertising the sale of illegal drugs on social media, with a local drug treatment worker warning that buying illicit substances online is now ‘as easy as ordering a pizza’.
A brief search of platforms including X (formerly Twitter), Snapchat and TikTok reveals multiple posts promoting drugs for sale in the Omagh area. Reporters at the Ulster Herald identified four such advertisements within a short period, all posted in the past week on X.
Each explicitly referenced Omagh, along with several other towns across the North, and offered cannabis for sale.
Tommy Canning, head of treatment at Northlands Addiction Treatment Centre, warned of the growing impact of online drug sales on local communities.
“The days of going down a dark alley are long gone – this is now the main way many young people are buying drugs,” he said.
“The most pressing issue is that increased availability leads to increased addiction. With the sheer volume of adverts circulating online, that risk is only heightened. Service users tell us that obtaining prescription or illegal drugs can be as easy as ordering a pizza.
“This isn’t just an Omagh problem. These individuals are targeting every town, city and village across the island. Operating behind anonymous usernames and faceless profiles makes it much harder for police to intervene.”
A spokesperson for the Police Service of Northern Ireland confirmed that none of the posts identified had been reported to police so far and urged the public to come forward if they encounter similar content.
“When we receive reports and gather evidence relating to the sale and supply of drugs, we investigate and work to identify suspects,” the spokesperson said, adding that information can be provided via 101 or the PSNI’s online reporting service.
Recent UK studies suggest social media has become a significant marketplace for drugs, with three-in-ten young people surveyed saying they had encountered drug adverts without actively searching for them – most commonly on Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok.
X was contacted for comment, but no response had been received by the time of publication.
