More than 12,700 people get treatment to combat drug use

MORE than 12,700 people are being treated for problem drug use, with about 8,600 of these getting the opiate substitute drug methadone, Pat Carey, Minister of State with special responsibility for Drugs Strategy and Community Affairs, said yesterday.

Mr Carey warned that illicit drugs use was now happening across all social strata and appeared to be spreading geographically across the country.

“Alcohol, as a potential gateway to illicit drugs, is also a real issue,” he said.