Oireachtas Committee: Drug users were moving away from heroin and taking so-called recreational drugs like cocaine, which was a growing problem, Minister of State Mr Noel Ahern said at an Oireachtas committee yesterday.
The Minister was updating TDs and senators on the National Drugs Strategy and was questioned about the increasing use of recreational drugs, at the Joint Committee on Arts, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.
He said he admitted that when the drugs strategy started in May 2001, it was based on heroin.
"The strategy is not written in stone, it is quite flexible. It might mean a change in emphasis. If we need to change the emphasis, it can be done," he said.
Although cocaine use was not sweeping the country, it was a growing problem. It was an issue that was causing concern, the Minister said. Much of the strategy was centred on attracting heroin addicts into programmes to take methadone. There was no substitute treatment for cocaine. With cocaine it was harder to get people to realise they had a problem and get them to come forward for help.
Mr Fergus O'Dowd TD (FG) said there was no strategy on cocaine. He said the Minister was under-estimating the problem. If more young people were using cocaine than before, what was he doing about it? The Minister said the main emphasis for under-18s was education and awareness. "We have to get through to them that drugs they regard as recreational are addictive," he said.
Heroin was still a major problem. In the first all-Ireland survey of heroin use last year, the number of users was 14,500, the majority in Dublin.
"\ young men are now being hooked. They are seeing it as a 'bit of a loser's drug'. They are moving away from it," the Minister said.
Mr Damien English TD (FG) said young people were mixing alcohol and drugs. People were taking recreational drugs and there was a lot going on behind closed doors at parties.
On the issue of cannabis, the Minister answered Mr James Breen TD (Ind) who asked what effect the downgrading of cannabis in the UK would have in Ireland.
"We are not considering any changes here. We consider that what is being done in the UK is bringing their system closer to our own. Here it's a 'schedule 1' drug. If a person is caught with a quantity for personal use on the first and second occasion, there is a fine," he said.
The chairwoman, Ms Cecilia Keaveney (FF), asked why alcohol was not included in the strategy. The Minister said drink was now being recognised as a drug. It was a huge problem and was being addressed by the Minister for Health. He thought there should be links between the strategies and cross-representation in working groups and committees.