A major study of heroin use in Athlone and Portlaoise has failed to come up with a figure for local users, but it does not endorse earlier suggestions that there are 300 users in Athlone, and 200 in Portlaoise.
Now a prominent local politician in Athlone says he wants to know exactly how many people are using heroin in the town.
"This is a fine report, very well-produced and easy to read, but it does not tell us how many people are using heroin in Athlone. I am disappointed by that," said Athlone town councillor Mr Kevin "Boxer" Moran.
"Some people have claimed there are between 80 and 300 heroin users in the town, which I simply don't believe. Unfortunately this report, which was prepared over the last nine months, doesn't tell us this very important piece of information.
"I work in the taxi business, and I know there are drugs in this town. But I don't believe it is anywhere near the scale of the problem suggested by some people. I think we need to ensure that false figures don't go out because they give a very bad impression of Athlone, which is not riddled with drugs as far as I'm concerned."
The figure of 80-300 heroin users in Athlone was first mentioned by the report's co-author Dr Niall McElwee in September, when he said he was being told consistently that this was the figure. He said his study would seek to put a figure on the number of local users.
Last week, another local organisation set up to combat drug misuse in the town predicted that Dr McElwee's report would show huge numbers of heroin users.
Yesterday, at the launch of the report, Darkness on the Edge of Town, Dr McElwee said he "could not substantiate" the "higher end figures" mentioned. He declined to put any figure on the number of users in Athlone.
The report, produced by the Centre for Child & Youth Care Learning, Athlone Institute of Technology, and Midlands Regional Drugs Task Force, paints a grim picture of life for heroin users in the two towns.
It shows that heroin can be easily obtained in both towns at €25 a bag. "Entire families have been negatively affected. Adolescents are reported in both towns to be experimenting with smoking heroin," said co-authors Dr McElwee and Ms Gráinne Monaghan.
Dr McElwee said crack cocaine could be the next big problem as there is evidence of the drug spreading out of the major urban areas.
Ms Carol Gaffey, a local recovering heroin addict, told a crowd of over 100 people at the launch in Athlone IT that heroin took over her life. "When heroin gets a hold of you, it has got you. I went down to 5½ stone weight and I lost touch with friends and family," she said.
"Thankfully I am now clean for two years and friends and family are coming back to me. I would appeal to anyone out there taking heroin to grab with all your heart any offer of help you get."