Report reveals decline in Dublin opiate abuse

The number of opiate users in Dublin has fallen by some 1,000 since 1996 and the age profile of users is getting older to indicate the number of new users is slowing, a new report has claimed.

Figures compiled for the National Drugs Strategy progress report (2001-04) indicate that there are now 14,452 opiate users in Ireland, of which 12,500 are based in Dublin.

The report also said there are now approximately 7,300 methadone treatment places, in excess of the target of 6,500 set in the National Drugs Strategy. As of July last year there were over 7,000 people on the central (methadone) treatment list, 95 per cent of which were in the eastern region.

The number of people in treatment has increased from 6,919 in 2000 to 8,596 in 2002. According to the report this increase is probably due to a number of factors "including the availability of treatment services". These figures are based on the National Drug Treatment Reporting System (NDTRS) .

Since December 2000 the number of people waiting for treatment has fallen by 155 to 273 in July last year.

However, the report noted that opiate abuse remains a predominantly Dublin problem, with almost 94 per cent of treated cases citing opiates as the problem drug living the Eastern Regional Health Authority (ERHA) region. Outside this region the number dropped to 19 per cent.

Only 3 per cent of those in treatment in the ERHA said cannabis was their main problem drug. Outside this area this figure rose to 56 per cent of those seeking treatment.

The study also found that just under one in five people have experience of using an illegal drug, with the 25-23 year-old age group having the highest prevalence with 27.7 per cent.

Noel Ahern, Minister of State with responsibility for the National Drugs Strategy at the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, said: "There are encouraging signs of progress over the period since 2001 which suggests that the current approach to tackling the drug problem is proving to be effective."

He said the gardaí and customs had increased seizures across a range of drugs, including cocaine and cannabis as part of a policy of supply reduction.

But Mr Ahern said gaps remained that needed to be filled over the remaining lifetime of the Strategy which ends on 2008.

"That is why I secured an increase of 18 per cent for the department's budget for drugs programmes in 2005."