DRUG SEIZURE RISE OF 5% SHOWS INCREASE IN AVAILABILITY

There was a 5% increase in the number of drug seizures last year, although
gardai are now channelling greater resources into tackling drink driving.

"The figures show that there are a lot of drugs available," said Dr Jim
Donovan, director of the Forensic Science Laboratory, where drugs seized by
the gardai are tested.

"The number of cases are a good indication that gardai are coming across
drugs more easily. A lot of emphasis now is on drunkenness and drink
driving, so the fact that they are still coming across a large number of
cases is a good indication of availability," he said.

This was particularly so as there had not been a major push on drug
seizures last year compared to the major garda campaign which followed the
death of crime reporter Veronica Guerin. According to the Garda Annual
Report for 1999, due to be published shortly, the number of seizures rose
from 7,648 in 1998 to 8,056 in 1999.

Seizures of ecstasy almost doubled in number, from 545 in 1998 to 1,063
last year, while cocaine hauls rose from 176 in 1998 to 213 in 1999.

The number of cannabis seizures fell from 4,710 in 1998 to 4,322 last year,
but cannabis remained the drug most frequently seized.

"Over 2.5 million grams of cannabis were seized. That's 25 million joints,
and when you consider what's seized is just a fraction of the total amount
out there you get an idea as to how popular it is," said Dr Donovan.

The number of heroin seizures fell from 1,012 to 767, while hauls of
amphetamines also fell from 747 to 467.

Meanwhile, a report into drugs in inner city Dublin found that young people
considered cannabis a "safe" drug.

The report, Choosers or Losers?, launched in Dublin yesterday,
distinguished between those who abstain completely, recreational drug users
and problem drug users.

It found that 80% of problem drug users took heroin, compared to just 9% of
recreational drug users.

Problem users took their first drug, cannabis, at the age of 12, compared
to recreational users, who first took cannabis at 13.

Author of the report, Paula Mayock, said young people saw taking cannabis
as normal. "It's not viewed as a dangerous activity, even those who abstain
say it's just like smoking a cigarette."

But she said most of the 57 people she spoke to for her project ruled out
heroin use. "Heroin was consistently regarded as the most dangerous of all
substances."

She said it was important to realise that young people make rational
decisions when choosing to take drugs.

"Young people assess the benefits and dangers associated with various
drugs. Judgements about the relative safety versus risk associated with
various substances influenced their drug choices."