Number of teens seeking help for drugs up

Treatment for the abuse of heroin, cannabis and legal tranquillisers has increased in the South-East – with a jump in the number of teenagers seeking help.

HSE data shows that while alcohol accounts for half of all treatment cases, the total number has fallen, while cases relating to cannabis, heroin and benzodiazepines continues to rise.

And the number of young people aged under 18 being treated has increased by almost a fifth on 2012.