‘Significant heroin problem’ outside of Dublin, warns HSE

THERE is a “significant heroin problem” outside Dublin and substitution treatment is now an “urgent priority”, according to a HSE report.

The review of the methadone treatment system said addicts not in treatment were around three times more likely to die than those who are stable in treatment.

Lead author Professor Michael Farrell of King’s College London said the Methadone Treatment Protocol, set up in 1998, had “very considerable” successes in containing drug-related deaths and cutting HIV transmission levels.

He said, while there had been a major expansion in methadone treatment services to address the heroin problem in Dublin, there was a “significant heroin problem in many rural and urban areas in the midlands, the south and west of the country”.

Prof Farrell said, as well as expanding these services, there needed to be a more integrated response, bringing together psychological and social supports to drug users in treatment, with more emphasis on rehabilitation and attending the physical and mental health of users.

“The report notes the overall gap in the national provision of services and recommends that major attention is given to developing models of services for all areas outside of Dublin,” said Prof Farrell.

He was speaking at the launch of the Opioid Treatment Protocol, which was held at the Drug Treatment Centre Board in Dublin.

The report said the rise in drug-related poisonings among people outside Dublin — jumping from 69 in 1998 to 158 in 2007 — was a “strong indicator of the spread of heroin” to other parts of the country.

Drugs Minister Pat Carey said there were 15,000 people in drug treatment, including more than 9,400 in receipt of methadone. He acknowledged that heroin has spread “very significantly” outside Dublin, but said progress had been made in providing services.

He said methadone services had just opened in Cork, Tralee and Wexford to be followed shortly by services in Kilkenny, Waterford, Limerick, Dundalk and Drogheda.

He said he had just signed off on two further services in Tullamore and Mullingar.

Dr John O’Connor of the Drug Treatment Centre Board said drug addiction was a “symptom” of deeper problems that needed to be addressed. He said that putting addicts on methadone was “not enough” and that the State needed to facilitate rehabilitation.

* Download report on www.hse.ie