This article is from page 6 of the 2006-04-04 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 6 JPG
Heroin, one of the most feared illegal drugs, has taken a grip in Clare, according to top gardaí.
Detectives have disclosed that the drug has spread to rural parts of the county.
They’ve even established that the average age of heroin addicts in Clare is 31 years old.
The local Garda drugs team has reported a big increase in the number of heroin seizures this year.
Members of the Clare Garda Divisional Drug Unit say that addicts are spending an average of €50 a day to feed their habits.
“It’s the speed at which people become addicted to heroin that is the most frightful aspect of it. Undoubtedly it is the most dangerous drug available to the people of Clare,” said Detective Garda Seamus McMahon, of the Clare Garda Divisional Drug Unit.
He said heroin, at €25 a deal was now cheaper than a €50 gram wrap of cocaine.
Clare people are getting their supply of the drug by travelling to Limerick and Dublin, and in some instances Galway or Cork.
“There is a perception that by smoking heroin, it won’t do any harm and that you won’t get addicted to it. This is not correct . . . heroin is an addictive substance and the likelihood of somebody kicking a heroin habit successfully is quite remote. Heroin addicts would have had a history of abusing other drugs, before using heroin,” he said.
Generally, users initially smoke heroin, before they start to inject.
“People who would normally have an objection to using needles and wouldn’t contemplate injecting any type of drug are using needles to inject heroin,” he said.
“The average age of people we know who are addicted to heroin is 31.5 years. This leads us to believe people are getting into abusing heroin, knowing what it is capable of doing,” he said.
“There is no urban/rural divide when it comes to heroin. Naturally enough, the majority of heroin users would be centred around Ennis, broadly speaking. We would be aware of people having difficulties with heroin all over the county,” he said.
“Heroin will feature on the seizures for 2006. It is too early to say what sort of an increase we will have this year, but we will have a significant increase,” he added.
“We are appealing to people not to try heroin as it could be that one time that would get you addicted and risk a lifelong addiction,” he said.