CYPRUS TOPS IN EUROPE DRUG OVERDOSES PER CAPITA

Morbid Statistic Marks Establishment Of New Strategy Group

CYPRUS could very well find it tops the European statistical charts
with its alarming number of drug-related deaths per capita, a
Nicosia-based doctor said yesterday.

The union establishes the Cyprus Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug
Addiction (EKTEPN) and strengthens the institutional capabilities of
the Cyprus Anti-Drug Council, allowing it to implement a National Drug
Strategy.

The project was co-financed by the EU and the government with a budget
of 378,000 euros and took 12 months to implement under the guidance of
Spain and Greece, keeping Cyprus in line with the EU policy on drugs.

Thirty-seven foreign experts helped train local professionals,
including government officials and NGOs, using a series of seminars
and workshops. Activities also involved assessments and study visits
to Greece and Spain, which had experience in severe drug abuse.

Health Minister Dina Akkelidou said the project had been given the
government's full support and that issues of drug prevention,
treatment and addicts' reintegration into society were a priority.
"It's no good burying our heads in the sand. We have to admit we have
a problem, face it and deal with it," she said.

Veresies said it was "worrying" that 20 drug addicts had died over the
past two years.

"This number, with respect to Cyprus' population, likely places us in
one of the first positions in Europe," he said. "What is even more
worrying is that we have people as young as 12 and 13 starting to use
drugs. This number is the same as other European countries."

The KENTHEA director was referring to the European Monitoring Centre
for Drugs and Drug Addiction European (EMCDDA) annual report which
provides an overview of the situation of EU drug use and supply, and
highlights recent developments and emerging trends in member states
and Norway.

Cyprus' national report, which gives an overall picture of the drug
phenomenon at national level in each EU Member State, will be ready in
November, he added. By next year the island would also be included in
the EMCDDA report.

According to Veresies the national report had already showed very few
people went for treatment soon. "The statistics for 2002 reveal that
drug addicts in Cyprus take an average of 8.6 years of heroin abuse
before going for treatment the first time." And although Cyprus drug
use statistics were low, drug abuse was steadily on the increase, he
said.

The information included in the national report is gathered by the
national drugs monitoring centre, EKTEPN. Headed by Neocles
Georgiades, EKTEPN's role is to gather, investigate, analyse and
evaluate all drug related data, facts and information.

The centre uses key and core indicators to monitor the situation and
collect the data, said Georgiades. These include drug use in the
general population; drug-related infectious diseases; demand for
treatment; problem drug use; drug trends in youth; drug-related death
and mortality; drug-related crime; drug-related social exclusion and
availability of illicit drugs.

The information is then used to prepare the national report, which
will help combat the existing drug problem in Cyprus and improve
prevention measures, he said.

The first National Drug Strategy will cover a four-year period between
2004 and 2008 and aims to direct various policies related to drugs and
drug addiction, which in turn will define what measures need to be
taken by Ministries and authorities both in the public and private
sector, said Anti-Drugs Council Executive Secretary Tonia Bayada.

She said: "The drug problem must be dealt with in its entirety, with
its many facets and completely, both in the area of demand reduction,
as well as reducing supply - Particular emphasis must be given to
reducing the number of new users and in reducing the number of
negative consequences associated with drug use."

With this in mind, Veresies said programmes involving the provision of
heroin substitutes to limit the number of overdoses would be
implemented by the beginning of next year. "This aims to reduce drug
related deaths. A large portion of users will be given heroin
substitutes so as to avoid taking that lethal dose which is achieved
through intravenous use," he said.