The numbers using heroin in Waterford rose last year, overtaking cannabis as the second most widely abused substance in the city/county according to a Health Service Executive (HSE) report.
The figures, published in the ‘Data Co-ordination overview of Drug Misuse 2008’ reveal that heroin has overtaken cannabis as the second most widely abused substance in the city and county.
In fact, the numbers being treated for heroin abuse in Waterford last year came in higher than both the recorded national (11.4) and regional averages (12.5).
The statistics re-iterate a sentiment expressed for some time by Waterford Gardaí given the increased level of heroin-related drugs investigations they have had to undertake.
Alcohol remains by far and away the most widely abused substance, accounting for 325 treated clients, or 62.9 per cent of the 558 persons who were treated by the HSE in Waterford last year.
Heroin was cited as the main substance abused in 12.9 per cent of all treated clients, while cannabis ranked third with 8.7 per cent. Cocaine was next on the list, accounting for 6.4 per cent of the overall treatment figure.
There was also an increase in the number of those who injected themselves with a substance in Waterford, rising from 10.3 per cent in 2007 to 12.8 per cent last year.
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