KARL knows of up to 20 people who have died from heroin.

ALL over-the-counter pain medications containing the “Hillbilly heroin” drug codeine should be made prescription-only to block the continuing rise in addictions to the narcotic, a leading expert has said.

THE Government is failing to tackle the growing problem of the country’s 15,000 heroin addicts, focusing its resources on reducing supply of the drug rather than reducing demand, the head of the country’s biggest drug treatment centre said.

The Merchants Quay Project has revealed that 10,000 heroin users have visited its operation in Dublin since 1997.