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PA Wire

Number entering drug treatment up 52 per cent in six years: report

A new study into problem drug use in Ireland has found that the number of cases reporting cannabis as their main problem substance has increased significantly.

NEW RESEARCH into drug use in Ireland has found that the number of cases entering treatment each year for problem drug use increased by 52 per cent from 2005 to 2010.

The number of cases rose up from 5,176 to 7,878 across the six-year period.

A new report by the Health Research Board (HRB) Trends in treated problem drug use in Ireland 2005 to 2010 also found that while heroin and opiates were the most common problem drugs over each year studied, the number of cases reporting cannabis as their main problem substance increased “significantly” over the period (from 1,039 in 2005 to 1,893 in 2010).

The number of cases which reported cocaine as their main problem substance peaked in 2007 and decreased slightly in the following years, while head shop substances were reported as a main problem for the first time in 2009. This increased from 17 cases in 2009 to 213 cases in 2010, when it exceeded the numbers reporting amphetamines, ecstasy and volatile inhalants, according to the HRB report.

Meanwhile, the number of cases – both previously treated and new cases – injecting drugs decreased over the period.

Half of all new cases entering treatment over the years of the study had begun using drugs at or before 15 years of age.

The report found that the majority (68 per cent) of cases presenting for treatment over this period reported problem use of more than one substance. The drugs most often reported as additional substances were identified as cannabis, alcohol, cocaine and benzodiazepines.

The overall increase in numbers seeking drug treatment is a indication of the challenge facing those services, according to the HRB report:

The significant increase in the total number of people requiring drug treatment services is a strong indication that problem drug use remains a pressing issue throughout the country, and presents complex and multiple challenges to those providing treatment.

The report recommended further prevention measures and initiatives particularly aimed at young teenagers in an effort to delay their initiation into drug use.

It also said that an increase in harm reduction services was likely to have influenced the drop in cases injecting drugs.

Read the HRB report in full >

Addicts drinking hand sanitiser to get alcohol fix >

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    Mute john dilllon
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    Jan 3rd 2013, 2:33 PM

    Good on him

    126
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    Mute Sean O'Healaigh
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    Jan 3rd 2013, 2:40 PM

    Seems cheap for a billboard. Good on him.

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    Mute Adam O'Sullivan
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    Jan 3rd 2013, 5:15 PM

    He should apply to Tv3. “I take other peoples original ideas and make a low budget version of it and claim it as my own!”

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    Mute Carmel O'Shea
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    Jan 3rd 2013, 2:36 PM

    Fantastic!

    79
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    Mute Adam Cheasty
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    Jan 3rd 2013, 2:26 PM

    Yeah I could really do with a job

    77
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    Mute Michael Russell
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    Jan 3rd 2013, 2:42 PM

    haha Pause his video at 12 seconds in… ” Davina McCall : Please Stop Emailing ” … Persistent Lad!

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    Mute Fintan Power
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    Jan 3rd 2013, 2:45 PM

    Enterprising. He stands out from the crowd and he is using the medium that he wants to work in to best effect. PLease God he’ll have plenty of offers.

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    Mute William Grogan
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    Jan 3rd 2013, 5:34 PM

    Fintan, if he gets a job then will that be because of his initiative or god?

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    Mute Aidan
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    Jan 4th 2013, 9:51 AM

    Haha!! Why do people mention god!!!

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    Mute Stephen Church
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    Jan 3rd 2013, 4:10 PM

    Good idea but “im desperate for a job” ” i only want to work in media” is endemic of the problem we seem to have with people getting jobs, people only want to work in certain, usually fashionable industries.

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    Mute Brian Callinan
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    Jan 3rd 2013, 6:17 PM

    I have no idea why you’re getting so many red thumbs. I love this misguided idea that you’re entitled to your dream job in your locality/country.

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    Mute Lisa Whelan
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    Jan 3rd 2013, 10:21 PM

    I study media because I want to direct and produce documentaries about issues of concern. The Irish Abortion debate, how the government retains power through political apathy and the manufacture of consent, feminism in the 21st century. I want to give a voice to the voiceless. I’ve already directed a documentary about cystic fibrosis. I have always been interested in documentary production. I’m not studying media because its ‘fashionable’. I couldn’t give a shit about fame or presenting. It’s hard to get into and competitive as hell but if I don’t go for it I definitely won’t make it. Some people have something called passion. If we were all employed in jobs we hated, then we wouldn’t really be living would we?! We’d just be slaves to the wage in jobs we hate.

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    Mute Stephen Church
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    Jan 3rd 2013, 10:32 PM

    Lisa I accept that, but this man is so desperate to get a job he spent his last 500 on a billboard , hes not one to be picking and choosing , looking for jobs in the media is just fine but considering the “recession” this man doesnt seem as desperate considering he started his ad with “if you work in keep watching”

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    Mute Brian Callinan
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    Jan 3rd 2013, 11:28 PM

    Hey Lisa,

    Best of luck with your career. At the same time I’m sure you accept the fact that the odds are very heavily stacked against people making a career in media in Ireland these days. If none are forthcoming when you graduate then you will probably have to settle for something else to tide you over. This is the reality of life….very few people end up doing what their dream job was as a teenager.

    I have quite a few friends who tried to make careers for themselves in music and sport and it didn’t work out for them. In the end they settled for what they could get. I’m afraid that’s life in the middle of recession Ireland. You and your peers are going to have to accept that.

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    Mute Paul Wallace
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    Jan 3rd 2013, 3:34 PM

    Degree in media studies….

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    Mute Cassie Delaney
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    Jan 3rd 2013, 3:58 PM

    I dated this lad. Mort

    44
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    Mute Simon Blake
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    Jan 3rd 2013, 4:33 PM

    Cassie. I heard his next campaign is to billboard pictures of his exes.

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    Mute Paul O'Connor
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    Jan 3rd 2013, 2:53 PM

    Now that shows initiative! Good on him.

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    Mute Eamonn Leahy
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    Jan 3rd 2013, 3:11 PM

    Pause the video at 12 seconds , he applied to babestation to be an on screen model???

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    Mute john stone
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    Jan 3rd 2013, 7:03 PM

    Planted for viral hope I think

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    Mute Kevin
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    Jan 3rd 2013, 4:18 PM

    Guy in my work stood outside the Bank of England at lunchtime with sandwich boards handing out flyers that were kind of like a condensed version of his CV. He’s a smart guy anyway but managed to get a job on a graduate scheme for a large UK bank.

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    Mute Ronan Fitzgerald
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    Jan 3rd 2013, 3:01 PM

    Check your header, is his name Alan or Adam… Obviously the billboard had an impact on you!

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    Mute Ronan Fitzgerald
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    Jan 3rd 2013, 7:09 PM

    Well done, the error was corrected. I love the Orwellian way in which the journal corrects historically, with no mention if the error, Winston Smith would be proud! ;)

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    Mute ads20101
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    Jan 3rd 2013, 5:21 PM

    Original, informative & funny…
    I would suspect that he’s already reemployed.

    Brilliant

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    Mute Sean Herbert
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    Jan 3rd 2013, 8:28 PM

    How is it original? And Irish guy did the exact same thing last year.

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    Mute Eileen Gabbett
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    Jan 3rd 2013, 4:32 PM

    Fantastic . Fair play to him.

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    Mute Glen Grehan
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    Jan 3rd 2013, 6:37 PM

    he is a total nerd. and probably unemployable.

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    Mute Christopher Dolan
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    Jan 3rd 2013, 9:11 PM

    Fair play to him, genuinely looking for work unlike some other sad sacks.

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    Mute Aíne Maíre Nic Uaidh
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    Jan 3rd 2013, 6:06 PM

    Brilliant idea…perfect for getting a job in media but I would wonder how effective it would be if a nurse or primary teacher took a billboard? Wonder how the HSE or Department of Education would react??!!;)

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    Mute Dr.fury
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    Jan 3rd 2013, 7:10 PM

    Waster,500 quid down the gary glitter,imagine him looking after your budget

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    Mute conor hickey
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    Jan 3rd 2013, 4:22 PM

    Maybe he could take a sweeping brush with him to the site tomorrow and show how good he is with it. The place is nearly as dirty as Dublin.

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    Mute Ronan Fitzgerald
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    Jan 3rd 2013, 8:09 PM

    His last 500 on the billboard? So the website hosting, design and domain name registration career first…..

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    Mute Floyd Pepper
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    Jan 3rd 2013, 7:08 PM
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    Mute Lisa Whelan
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    Jan 3rd 2013, 10:11 PM

    As a media student I fear a similar faith…. My dreams of documentary production are slowly being replaced by a fear that I’ll end up as the runner on some shitty talk show, making coffees and shouting “quiet on set”. Ugh.

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