Vol. 486 No. 2
128 Mr. Higgins (Dublin West) asked the Minister for Health and Children whether the Cabinet Committee on Social Inclusion and Drugs will examine reports that increasing numbers of young people in certain areas in the State are smoking heroin and becoming addicted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22281/97]
There are no definitive figures for the total number of young people who are smoking heroin. However, the Health Research Board's report on treated misuse in Ireland in 1996 shows that, of the 4,865 cases treated for drug misuse, 642 young people in the 13-19 year old age bracket were treated for smoking heroin and 99 per cent of these were from the Eastern Health Board area. The Health Research Board's report shows that the primary drug of misuse in 79 per cent of cases being treated was an opiate, while the second highest percentage of cases treated was for cannabis at 12 per cent. It must be remembered that these figures represent treated cases only and the number of people actually misusing these drugs would exceed these.
The report indicates that there has been an increase in smoking the primary drug of misuse, from a figure of 54 per cent of those in the 15-19 year old bracket in 1995 to 65 per cent in 1996. There was a decrease in the numbers injecting drugs. These figures may indicate that the public health message regarding the links between HIV and intravenous drug misuse is being heeded by drug misusers.
