Dramatic gender shift in heroin users

THERE has been a dramatic shift in the gender of young heroin users — most are now teenage girls and are likely to be involved in a relationship with a male heroin user.

Adolescent child psychiatrist, Dr Bobby Smyth, said 17 of the 19 teenagers attending the Drug Treatment Centre in Trinity Court, Dublin, over the last 12 months are female.

He also found that 60% of the girls were in a relationship with a heroin user who was more likely to be older than her and responsible for her drug use initiation.