‘It’s time to tackle 
our drugs problem’

Gavin McGarvey, who stood as a Rye councillor this week, says the one policy he would like to see the council taking up is to start a drugs awareness programme.

Gavin, who is a local businessman, said: “Drugs are a major problem in Rye whether it be cannabis or cocaine. I see it on a daily basis and it needs addressing urgently. I have seen children as young as ten openly smoking cannabis on the street. It is obviously a serious problem.

“How can we as adult members of our community allow this to go by unchecked, and what are our plans to address this in the future?

“We need to educate our children and younger members of the community on the dangers of this lifestyle and actively support those already on this dangerously slippery slope.

He added: “Many young people I have spoken to tell me that they feel let down and isolated. They need more support.

Rye Police work closely with licensees in the town to address any issues and have carried out spot-checks in the past and used sniffer dogs.

The Rye Bar Watch scheme has a zero tolerance to anyone using drugs on licensed premises.

Do you believe Rye has a drugs problem? Tell us your views and experiences.