Heroin has replaced cannabis as second highest treated drug in the south east.

Statistics from the HSE reveal that treatment for heroin use rose from 49 in 2000 (3.5% of all cases) to 293 in 2008 (12.5% of all cases). "In 2007 and previous years, cannabis was the second highest treated drug of misuse in the south east, but in 2008 heroin has taken this position at 12.5%, followed then by cannabis at 10.7% and cocaine at 5.6%," said the Overview of Drug Misuse Report 2008.

The report said alcohol remained by far the main problem drug, accounting for 61.7% of cases. It said this figure had fallen in recent years and dropped from 64.2% in 2007. The number of treatment cases for cocaine has risen over the years, but had dropped from 6.9% in 2007.

Wexford accounted for the highest number of treatment cases at 625 (23% of the total), followed by Waterford at 558 (21%).

There has been a rise in female cases; increasing from 24.5% in 2004 to 31.8% in 2008. There were 25 cases aged under 15 and a further 294 cases aged between 15 and 19 (12.4% of all cases).

In relation to heroin:

• Wexford had the highest number of cases, at 69, representing 12% of all cases from that county.
• Waterford had the second highest number of cases, at 67, representing 12.9% of all its cases.
• Carlow had the third highest number of cases, at 55, taking up 33% of its cases.

The report shows the number of heroin users who had injected at some time in their lives almost doubled in Kilkenny, from 15 in 2007 to 29 in 2008.

There were also increases in Carlow (29 to 36) and Waterford (53 to 66).

There was a drop in cases involving the sharing of injecting equipment, except in Waterford, where there was a slight increase.

The report said 386 (22%) cases were admitted to hospital in 2008, where the main diagnosis was alcohol or drugs. A further 773 cases (44%) were admitted where alcohol or drugs were a secondary diagnosis.

Some 1,212 (69%) had an alcohol diagnosis, 253 (14%) had a drug diagnosis and 289 (17%) had a dual diagnosis. Wexford accounted for most cases (45%), followed by Waterford (25%).

Figures from the Probation Service show that between 52% and 65% of their referral cases from the courts concerned alcohol and/or drug cases. Most were possession of drugs for personal use (24%), intoxication in a public place (8%), threatening behaviour (8%) and supplying drugs (7%).

Source: Cormac O’Keeffe, The Irish Examiner, 08/10/2009