IRELAND TOPS EURO LEAGUE FOR ILLEGAL DRUG USE

IRELAND has the highest levels of ecstasy and amphetamine use in western
Europe, according to a UN report. The study, Global Illicit Trends 2002,
estimates 66,000 (2.4%) people aged 15 and over take ecstasy at least once
a year.

The report estimates that 72,000 (2.6%) people take amphetamines, commonly
known as speed.

The UN study found, of the 23 countries in western Europe, Ireland also has
the:

Joint highest use of cannabis, with Britain.

Third highest use of cocaine.

Joint ninth highest use of opiates, including heroin.

"The figures are quite frightening. We're at the top for drug use, along
with Britain. It's a huge problem, equalled by the alcohol problem," said
Grainne Kenny, of the lobby group Europe Against Drugs (Eurad).

A Government spokesman said last night they had not received the report but
that progress was being made in fighting the scourge of drugs.

He said a national awareness campaign would get under way in the autumn
aimed at educating children about drugs.

The report, carried out by the UN Office for Drug Control and Crime
Prevention, said Ireland's ecstasy and amphetamine use was four times the
western European average of 0.6% and 0.7% respectively.

Britain also dominated drug leagues, topping cocaine use, cannabis use with
Ireland and opiate use. Britain was second only to Ireland in ecstasy and
amphetamine use.

Interestingly, given its name as the drugs capital of Europe, the
Netherlands is 13th in the cannabis league (with an annual rate of 4.1%),
fifth in the ecstasy league (at 0.8%) and 17th in the heroin league (at 0.2%).

The report noted while rates are high in Ireland, one European study,
ESPAD, found that cannabis use among 15 to 16-year-olds here fell from 37%
in 1995 to 32% in 1999, while other drug use fell from 16% to 9%.

The 285-page report also found heroin use had stabilised in Ireland and
estimates 185 million people in the world take drugs.

Cannabis is used by 147 million people, amphetamine 33 million, ecstasy
seven million, cocaine 13 million and 13 million opiates, including nine
million heroin.

The report highlighted a 65% global fall in opium production following the
Taliban ban on the growing of the plant in Afghanistan.

But it said opium production had resumed to a "relatively high level" this
year. There was also a 5% fall in cocoa production, from which cocaine is
made, in 2001, including the first fall in recent years in Colombia.

The UN report follows revelations by the Government's Task Force on Alcohol
last May that consumption levels had jumped by 40% in the past decade,
taking us from 12th to second place in world alcohol rankings.

Eurad's Ms Kenny said teenagers had too much money and parents did not
realise what they were spending it on