Call For Nationwide Needle Exchange Programme

A drugs charity has called on the government to introduce needle exchange programmes across the country, as a report revealed an increase in the number of intravenous drug users it was treating.

The latest report by Merchants Quay Ireland - which works with homeless people and drug addicts - showed that more than 1,700 new injectors were treated at the organisation's syringe exchange service in Dublin city centre during 2006.

The charity said that although the vast majority attending the service were heroin users, a fifth of them were also using cocaine.

Speaking at the launch, Tony Geoghegan, the Director of Merchants Quay Ireland, said: "It is discouraging to have to once again point to large numbers of new clients attending our services. While there has been much media focus on cocaine use in recent times, heroin remains a major issue in many parts of Dublin and, increasingly, across the country. In order to effectively address this problem we need significant investment in new first line harm reduction services across all affected areas so that users can, at the earliest opportunity, be brought into the network of treatment services in their own local areas. Syringe Exchange Services are effective not only in minimising the serious risk of blood borne infections such as HIV and hepatitis, but also in encouraging users to take up drug treatment and to work towards a better life."

The report also highlighted the significant number of people from new EU member states seeking help from their homeless services.

(KMcA)