Understanding Problem Drug Use

• The possession and supply of controlled drugs is a crime. In this sense society makes criminals of all drug users.
   
  
• The numbers of drugs charges has increased from 4,146 in 1995 to 9,389 in 2001. Over 7,000 of these were for possession of drugs, mainly cannabis. [2]
   
  
• The supply of drugs is controlled by a number of criminal gangs. This means that:
• Drug users have no information about the quality or purity of drugs they buy putting them at risk of overdose or poisoning.
• The price of drugs is subject to wild fluctuations - prompting drug users to turn to crime to get the money for drugs.
• Drug users are often encouraged by suppliers to get involved in the selling or trafficking of drugs thus promoting the spread of drugs and putting the user at greater risk of imprisonment or worse.
 
• In Ireland once you have a criminal conviction it remains on you record for life. People with a criminal record find it harder to access employment.
   
  
• The Garda Research Unit found that opiate users known to gardai were responsible for 28% of detected crime examined between Jan 2000 and Dec 2001, amounting to 14% of the cost of crime during this period. [3]
   
  
• Garda figures indicate that 42% of crimes committed by juveniles were alcohol related and 17% were drug related. [4]
   
  
• Poverty clearly plays a role. In one study over half 63% of respondents had left school before the minimum age of 16 years only 7% had obtained a leaving cert and 55% were unemployed. No respondent had a third level qualification. [5]
   
  
• For the majority drug use came before crime 56% and 68% had been in trouble with the law by 16 years. [6] This supports the claim that the most of drug users are involved in acquisitioned crime. Therefore by tackling problem drug use you are also tackling crime.
   
  
• 51 % of persons coming to Merchants Quay Ireland have been in prison. [7]
   
  
• A survey of drug users in prison revealed that 21% of injecting drug users first injected drugs while in prison. Overall they found that 52% of prisoners had used heroin at one time or other. [8]
   
  
• National and International research shows that both substance use and criminal behavior are successfully reduced as a result of involvement in drug treatment.[9, 10, 11]