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Overdose warning

Written by Christine Allen

Thursday, 02 September 2010

Heroin addicts in Cork are not getting fast access to Methadone Treatment Programmes, which could be causing some to overdose. Cork's Methadone Treatment Programme currently has 150 members, while there are a further 14 people waiting to access the programme, according to the HSE. However, to be included on the waiting list, people must be assessed, and one city councillor says the low figures are merely due to delays in the assessment procedure.

Cllr Jonathan O'Brien, a member of the Cork Local Drugs Task Force told the Cork Independent the low figure was worrying and did not reflect the number of heroin addicts seeking help across the city.

"There is a huge need for faster assessment for the Methadone Treatment Programme in the city. If an addict decides he wants to quit today, he needs quick access to support. He might not be able to quit it tomorrow."

The HSE told the paper that there are 14 people, "who have been clinically assessed as being eligible for the Methadone Treatment Programme, on the waiting list who will be seen in the coming weeks".

Cllr O'Brien pointed out that addicts who attempt to get clean at home could overdose. "First they come off of the heroin at home. If they relapse and use the same amount of drugs they were originally accustomed to, their bodies cannot cope. They will overdose," he said.

He said that Cork City was on the brink of a heroin explosion 18 months ago but commended the work of the Gardaí and the drugs task force in response to the crisis.

Stigma

Cllr O'Brien added that there was a stigma attached for chemists hosting treatment programmes. The locations in Cork are also stretched to cater for recovering heroin addicts from Kerry, which is not expected to have its own programme until the end of the year.

The HSE South told the Cork Independent that it invested €2m into addiction services in October 2009. It is hoped that another two locations will be provided for the HSE South region later this year also.

A spokesperson said that 10,000 additional counselling hours are to be made available in collaboration with voluntary providers in the region to support recovering addicts.

The HSE also said that four dedicated detoxification beds for Cork adults have been provided with an additional two beds expected to be in place before year-end. On 13 September, a link worker for Cork will also take up a position under the Rehabilitation Strategy to co-ordinate multi-agency services and support clients.

Not enough

Cllr O'Brien said that this is not enough. "Addicts are struggling to get assessed. Four detox beds – that's a drop in the ocean. We need dedicated centres," he said.

The councillor called for better education to prevent future addictions and added that the recent head shop legislation could lead to people experimenting with heroin. "There is a slight rise again in heroin use.

"We also need better education about the real dangers of heroin use. There are no programmes in some schools. Drugs are still taboo,c he said.

David Lane, co-ordinator of drug and alcohol services in the HSE, told the Cork Independent that there was no list of addicts awaiting assessment and some people who enquire may not be eligible.

"The assessment process can take a few weeks as medical personnel need to find out if people are clinically suitable. Methadone is an addictive drug itself." He said the HSE hoped to provide faster assessment by the end of this year. "We hope to have little or nobody on that waiting list by then," he said.

Comments (1) »

Co-ordinator Irish Needle Exchange Forum
written by Tim Bingham, September 02, 2010

Firstly I welcome that the important issue of elevated risks of overdose has been highlighted in this article. Drug users need to be fully informed of the dangers and the risks of overdose. Cllr O'Brien highlights the stigma attached to pharmacies distributing methadone.

This stigma is unfounded on myths and beliefs which stigmatises individuals that wish to stabalise and return to some form of nomality. This is a national issue and dose not just apply to Cork

Unfortunatley some media outlets have a large part to play in the stigmatisation of heroin & methadone users, this has not helped by certain so called documentaries focusing on the heroin issue in Cork. I want to credit the HSE , Southern Regional Drugs Task Force and the Cork Local Drugs Task Force for reacting quickly to a situation that has only recently been acknowledged in the past 18 - 24 months. I hope that the situation will ease when a methadone clinic is opened in Co.Kerry.

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