Pubdate: Sat, 12 May 2001
Source: Irish Times, The (Ireland)
Copyright: 2001 The Irish Times
Contact:  ++ 353 1 671 9407
Mail: Letters to Editor, The Irish Times, 11-15 D'Olier St, Dublin 2, Ireland
Website: http://www.ireland.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/214
Author: David Andrews

NEW STRATEGY A BOLD EFFORT TO TACKLE DRUGS PROBLEM

ANDREWS ON SATURDAY: On Thursday morning Eoin Ryan launched his 
National Drug Strategy. It is the most far-reaching and radical 
attempt ever taken in this State to tackle drug abuse. Few policies 
can have been more timely or necessary.

A couple of months ago I wrote here about the extent to which we have 
an absurd cultural tolerance of certain types of drug abuse. This is 
a country were inebriation and social interaction go hand in hand. 
This is a country where the social success of a get-together is 
sometimes gauged by the alcoholic consumption of the attendance. I do 
not wish to sound entirely joyless. I do take a drink myself and 
rather enjoy it.

As a nation, we accept, condone and even glorify alcohol abuse. We 
accept that the disease of alcoholism is pitiable and deserving of 
treatment. We accept that alcoholics deserve every assistance in 
their recovery from an awful illness.

Tragically, however, we do not extend the same degree of humanity and 
understanding to those with an addiction to illegal drugs. When the 
heroin epidemic first gripped Dublin in the early 1980s our response 
was lethargic. Today local groups continue in their opposition to the 
establishment of drugs rehabilitation centres in their neighbourhoods.

There is an urgent need to cease our ambivalence now and start 
getting to grips with the problem of drug abuse. It is causing havoc 
to individuals, families and communities all over the country. Eoin 
Ryan's strategy will hopefully greatly reduce its effects.

Since becoming Minister of State responsible for the National Drugs 
Strategy, Eoin Ryan has been most effective in advancing a 
partnership approach with the communities most affected by heroin 
addiction and its effects through the local Drugs Task Forces. His 
new strategy builds on this approach.

It emerges from a comprehensive review of existing drugs policy and 
includes an extensive nationwide public consultation process. It is 
based again upon this partnership approach, taking on board the 
expertise and experience of those immediately concerned with the 
treatment and prevention of drug abuse.

It is a radical strategy for a number of reasons. It sets out clear 
and precise policy targets in the areas of drug supply, reeducation, 
prevention, treatment and research; it bring together all elements of 
drugs policy into a single framework; it sets out the clear 
responsibilities the different Departments have in dealing with drugs 
policy; it designates a series of 100 actions which Government 
Departments and agencies must carry out in the short, medium and long 
term; it sets out specific performance indicators.

For example, in the area of treatment the strategy sets out seven 
clear indicators These include the provision of immediate access for 
drug-abusers to professional assessment and counselling by health 
board services, followed by start of treatment within a month of 
assessment; the increase of treatment places to 6,000 by the end of 
this year and to a minimum of 6,500 by the end of 2002; and the 
provision of training and employment opportunities to stabilise 
drug-abusers.

One of the key recommendations in this new strategy is that regional 
drugs task forces be set up throughout the country to develop 
policies which can cater to the specific needs of that region.

While heroin abuse remains most prominent in Dublin, drug abuse is 
occurring throughout the island. These task forces will focus on 
identifying and addressing the gaps in services provided to 
communities and individual affected by drug abuse.

To make sure the strategy is implemented, the Taoiseach has made Mr 
Ryan responsible for co-ordinating the strategy. He will chair an 
interdepartmental group on drugs charged with bringing six-monthly 
progress reports on the implementation of the strategy to the Cabinet 
Committee on Social Inclusion, which is chaired by the Taoiseach. In 
addition, an independent evaluation of the strategy will take place 
in 2004 to allow the strategy to be effectively established.

This strategy does not exist in a policy vacuum. Attempts to combat 
drug abuse occur within the wider framework of social inclusion 
policy. In order to tackle our heroin problem we have to tackle once 
and for all the problem of urban deprivation which exists in every 
single area where illicit drug addiction is a serious problem. In 
every one of these areas early school-leaving and the resulting 
poverty cycle have exacerbated the heroin problem.

The RAPID programme, an effort to fast-track projects under the 
National Development Plan, is focusing on the 25 disadvantaged areas, 
aiming to improve health, education, housing, childcare, community 
facilities and policing. In addition, the NDP is aiming pounds 15 
billion specifically at social inclusion measures.

Building on these policies, Mr Ryan's strategy is a bold and 
ambitious attempt to grapple with the harm caused by drug misuse in 
Ireland. To gauge just how radical this policy is, the following 
exercise may perhaps prove useful.

Obtain a copy of the National Drugs Strategy 2001-2008 from the 
Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation and compare it with the 
dearth of specifics and the preponderance of generalisations in 
conventional policy papers and it will quickly bring home to the 
reader just how refreshing this drugs strategy is. The main elements 
should be implemented urgently.
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MAP posted-by: Josh Sutcliffe