A driving force behind addiction treatment, Sr Margaret Kiely is grateful for the many opportunities she’s had to live life to the full, writes Rowena Walsh

A 36-year-old Cork man who stole a €1,500 power-washer in Fermoy was freed from a jail sentence yesterday on his commitment to clean up his long-time alcohol problem.

Addiction to multiple drugs is becoming such a problem that gardaí, medics, and treatment specialists almost hanker for the days when middle-aged alcoholics were their biggest problem and pubs were the epicentre of socialising.

CORK Drugs Awareness Week kicks off today with particular emphasis on young people, families and treatment.

THERE has been a dramatic rise in the number of young people abusing a cocktail of alcohol, cocaine and cannabis.