Seven in every 1,000 use heroin in Republic - The Irish Times - Thu, Nov 11, 2010: "REPUBLIC’S heroin problem is worse than in any EU country for which figures are available – and it also has the longest waiting lists for treatment for those addicted to the drug, a Europe-wide report has revealed.
The research shows an average of seven people in every 1,000 in the Republic are defined as problem opiate, or heroin, users.
This is the worst record of the 15 European states for which heroin-user data was available. The number of heroin users is more than twice as high as the majority of the other countries.
The 2010 annual report for the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction also indicates the extent of the recession-related collapse of the Republic’s illicit cocaine trade.
The number of seizures of the drug has fallen by two-thirds since its peak. In 2007 there were 1,749 seizures, but last year that fell to 635 seizures.
Despite this, the Republic is listed among a small group of EU states – along with the UK, Italy, Denmark and Spain – seen as having a serious cocaine problem.
There is praise in the report for the Government’s handling of the head shops issue."

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