An inquiry will open in Glasgow today into the deaths of 18 people who died after using an apparently contaminated batch of heroin. The same batch of heroin is believed to have been responsible for the deaths of seven drug addicts in Ireland last year. However, the Fatal Accident Inquiry at Glasgow Sheriff Court will not examine the Irish victims nor similar cases found in other parts of Britain. Spokespersons for the Department of Health and Eastern Regional Health Authority yesterday expressed surprise at the need for the Scottish inquiry, as the Irish health authorities are satisfied the cause of death has been traced to a batch of heroin with a fatal bacterial infection. [continues 157 words]
Drug treatment services for heroin addicts have failed and should be discontinued, a drugs conference in Dublin was told yesterday. Several speakers voiced their concern at the continuing emphasis of the methadone substitution programme offered by health authorities to heroin addicts. "We have to adopt a different strategy towards drug abuse or we're looking at a bleak and desolate future for our young people," said Marie Byrne, director of the Aisling Group, the Navan based drug treatment centre. Swedish drugs advisor, Borje Dahl, told the conference that Sweden had make a major mistake when it introduced a liberal drug policy in the 1960s by decriminalising many substances. "The numbers of addicts increased and crime also rose," he observed. With a more restrictive drugs policy currently in place, the number of young Swedes using drugs for the first time has fallen from 15% to less than 3%. [end]
A government Minister has criticised RTE over a Prime Time report on Dublin’s drug problem. The Minister of State with responsibility for local development and drug strategy, Eoin Ryan, said Thursday’s edition of the programme failed to highlight positive aspects of how communities were combating the threat of drug pushers. “There are far more things going on the ground through the various task forces than is given credit by RTE,” said Mr Ryan. Speaking at the launch of a newsletter by the North Inner City Drugs Task Force, Mr Ryan said he was annoyed and disappointed by the station’s portrayal of the issue. The Dublin South East TD said RTE tended to concentrate on negative aspects of the drugs problem. He told the programme makers that such a portrayal could do a disservice to local groups working actively around the country to fight the drugs problem in their communities. [continues 169 words]
ARMED gardai in Dublin have been placed on red alert amid fears of an escalation in a feud between the INLA and a Dublin drugs gang which resulted in the death of one man at the weekend. Members of the Emergency Response Unit have been warned to prepare for further trouble after an INLA member died from injuries he sustained during a violent confrontation between the two rival gangs on Wednesday night. Gardai have launched a murder investigation after Patrick Campbell (22) was pronounced dead at Tallaght Hospital shortly after midnight yesterday. Mr Campbell with an address at Corduff Park, Blanchardstown, Co Dublin is understood to be a native of Belfast. [continues 381 words]
GARDAI recovered drugs estimated to be worth IEP400,000 during two large finds over the weekend in Dublin and Cork. Detectives from Mitchelstown and Fermoy found a medium-size quantity of cannabis during a search operation of a wooded area in north Cork on Saturday afternoon following a number of reports of unusual activity in the area during the past month. Several eye-witnesses had informed local gardaED that they had seen people behaving suspiciously on different occasions. The discovery was made in a wooded area between Kilworth and Ballyporeen. [continues 173 words]
Athletes and sports coaches who possess or traffic in drugs could soon face jail terms, Sports Minister Jim McDaid has warned. A weekend sports conference in Dublin was told that it was the Government's firm intention to rid Irish sport of any drugs. The Attorney General, David Byrne is currently examining new legislative proposals which could impose severe sanctions - including custodial sentences - on those found guilty of using drugs in sport. "I repeat what I have already said before that if I can find the means within Irish law I will not hesitate to apply criminal sanctions including jail terms to those who contaminate sport with drugs," said Dr McDaid. He said the issue was a political priority for him as Minister for Sport. [continues 310 words]
THE most useful defence against the misuse of all drugs was information and education, the Minister of State with responsibility for the National Drugs Strategy Team, Chris Flood said, yesterday. The Minister said such basic tools had to be linked with providing young people with the skills necessary to make responsible decisions about the use of drugs in their lives. Speaking at the launch of European Drug Prevention Week at the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght, Co Dublin, Mr Flood said alternatives to drugs must be evident to young people if a credible message was to get through to them. [continues 306 words]
