Heroin report cause for 'deep concern'

An assembly member has said the report out yesterday which revealed there are up to 1,000 ‘problem heroin users’ in Northern Ireland was a cause for deep concern.

SDLP health spokesperson Annie Courtney said she was “dismayed” by the findings of the report which was commissioned by the Drug and Alcohol Unit of the Department of Health.

The report published on Thursday "Prevalence of Problem Heroin Use in Northern Ireland" shows that up to 1,000 people are ‘problem heroin users’.

It further showed with between one-third to one-half of ‘problem heroin users’ in treatment during the report’s 12-month study period, the statistical analysis revealed that at least half of those users did not receive any treatment for their addiction during this period.

Mrs Courtney said: “There is no doubt that heroin use is growing problem in Northern Ireland.

“We need a two-tire approach to tackle this problem. Firstly we need to provide addicts with greater access to treatment and rehabilitation programmes. Secondly youngsters growing up must be made aware through educational programmes and the media that there is nothing glamorous about heroin use and that it can often lead to addiction.”

Mrs Courtney added that with acknowledgment of the depth of Northern Ireland’s heroin problem it was clear it was “time to deal with it.”

(AMcE)