Drugs activist warns of major crisis

ONE of the country’s most senior drugs activists yesterday launched a stinging attack on the Government’s handling of the drugs strategy.

Fergus McCabe said the country faced "huge demands" including growing heroin use in the regions and cocaine and crack use in Dublin which needed urgent attention to avoid "a major crisis".

The veteran community activist, who resigned from the National Drugs Strategy Team (NDST) last week, said the Government's National Drugs Strategy was being directed by a "part-time" Minister of State, who had to share the drugs brief with the housing portfolio.