Drug treatment frustrated by rise in multiple drug use, says EU report

YOUNG people are using a multiple of different drugs, posing significant problems in terms of treatment, found a report published by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA).

And while heroin use has stabilised, bumper opium crops in Afghanistan could reverse that trend.

In the first EMCDDA annual report to cover all 25 EU member states and Norway, the report said a number of factors suggested a possible rise in drug use:

Drug seizures in most countries have increased, both in number and volume.

Retail drug prices are stable or falling in most countries.

The purity of heroin, cocaine and amphetamines remains stable.

The report said that there is no convincing evidence of a reduction in the number of young people starting to use drugs and, in some areas, an increase is evident.

It reports that cocaine and ecstasy use has risen in Ireland and other countries, and cannabis use has also risen in some countries, including Ireland.

EMCCDA outgoing director Georges Estievenart said multiple drug use was posing “many difficulties for prevention and treatment”.

Irish figures show 76% of all treated drug users reported problem use with two or more drugs.

Mr Estievenart said while heroin use had stabilised in the EU this has been jeopardised by increased opium production in Afghanistan in the last two years.

The report said the national drugs strategy in Ireland and some other countries was an example of what member states should be developing.

It also highlighted the work of the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) and the Dublin drugs court in diverting addicts from prison to treatment.

The report said the incidence of HIV had not fallen in Ireland like the rest of the EU, but had stabilised.

Hepatitis C remains the main concern, with over 70% of injecting users testing positive for the deadly liver disease.