WEST FEARS INFLUX OF HARD DRUGS

THERE is very little incidence of hard drug use in the West of Ireland
but there is concern that Galway's popularity could lead to an influx
of such drug users, a new report warns.

Cannabis is widely consumed but most other drugs seem to be rarely
used said Professor Cecily Kelleher of the Dept of Health Promotion at
NUI Galway.

She was speaking at the launch yesterday by Junior Health Minister
Frank Fahey of a new Drug Education Policy by the Western Health
Board, and a report on Substance Misuse in the Western Health Board,
which provided the basis for the new policy.

She said that surveys had confirmed that drug use was widespread among
young people in the Board area - counties Galway, Mayo and Roscommon -
but that the highest rates of consumption were of tobacco and alcohol.

The report says a broad-based and properly financed health strategy is
required to address drug misuse. It recommends that alcohol services
should be upgraded but drug treatment facilities are not seen as a
priority.

A wide range of organisations and individuals were interviewed for the
report, in relation to how widespread it was and what direction should
be taken.

The general consensus that emerged was that although illegal
substances appeared to be widely available, it was legal substances
that were of most concern.

"There was general concern that prevention interventions were not as
uniformly implemented and co-ordinated as they could be, and that a
multisectoral, properly financed health promotion strategy which
included personal skill enhancement and community development was
essential," Prof Kelleher said.

A number of respondents told the team compiling the report of their
fears that Galway's attractiveness could bring an influx of hard drug
users, mainly from Dublin.

Most emphasis, however, was on the need for action to tackle the
alcohol problem.

The report says has the psychiatric services are unable to deal with
the current caseload of patients referred for detox treatments and
counselling.

Speaking at the launch of the Health Board's new policy document
yesterday, CEO Dr Sheelah Ryan said the West of Ireland was fortunate
that drug misuse was not as prevalent as it was in other parts of the
country. However, she warned that they could not afford to be complacent.

"No one agency can solve this problem in isolation. A coordinated
multi-agency approach involving the entire community is the best and
probably only way of reducing some of the devastating human and other
consequences of drug misuse.

"Education and information remain the cornerstone for any strategy to
tackle our drugs problem. Therefore the preparation of the Western
Health Board's Drug Education Policy is a very important step in the
efforts by all concerned to protect our young people," Dr Ryan added.

Junior Health Minister Fahey said that the primary defence against the
misuse of all drugs, including alcohol and tobacco was information and
education.

"We would be fooling ourselves to think that this is an easy task. We
know that smoking kills - yet large numbers of adults and an
increasing number of young people smoke.

"Alcohol, our social lubricant, is also responsible for a high
proportion of accident and ill health. Drugs are portrayed as
glamorous and fashionable by pop culture and it would be easy to
become complacent and say that what little can be done to counteract
this.

"However, the challenges that face us are too great for any
complacency," he added.

Checked-by: Patrick Henry