Pubdate: Sat, 26 Jun 2010
Source: Cyprus Mail, The (Cyprus)
Copyright: Cyprus Mail 2010
Contact:  http://www.cyprus-mail.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/100
Author: Nicola Ioannou
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment)

NUMBER OF DRUG ADDICTS SEEKING HELP IS ON THE RISE

AROUND ten people a year are dying as a direct result  of a drug 
overdose, while the number of people seeking  treatment for substance 
abuse is rising.

"We place a great deal of importance on this issue. It  is a priority 
for everyone, not just the Health  Ministry, to combat the drug 
phenomenon in Cyprus,"  said Health Minister Christos Patsalides 
speaking at a  press conference yesterday ahead of World Drug Day today.

The Cyprus Anti-Drugs Council (ASK) of which Patsalides  is 
president, presented its National Drug Strategy for  2009-2012, which 
hopes to tackle drug abuse by setting  "realistic goals which respond 
to the real needs of  substance dependent people in Cyprus".

The strategy is based on scientific evidence provided  by the Cyprus 
Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug  Addiction (EKTEPN), collected 
from general population  studies on illicit drugs in Cyprus over the 
past five  years.

According to EKTERN's director Neoclis Georgiades, the  number of 
users seeking treatment is rising, with 29  percent of the users that 
sought treatment (641 users)  in 2008 reporting cannabis as the main 
substance of  abuse, making it the second most frequently reported 
substance after heroin.,

"Unlike other European countries, there are no  specialised 
therapeutic programmes here for cannabis  users which respond to 
their particular needs," he  said.

 From 2004 to 2009, 98 deaths due to drug use have been  recorded in 
Cyprus (62 direct and 36 indirect). "Every  year, there are about 10 
deaths caused directly by drug  overdose," he said.

Patsalides noted that the findings show that cannabis  is the most 
commonly distributed drug in Cyprus and  that "the tendency for 
trying cannabis is most intense  amongst the ages of 18-22".

In 2008 there were 173 arrests relating to illegal  substances, the 
majority related to cannabis, with 81  percent of those arrested 
being under the age of 29  according to EKTEPN.

"Compared to 2006, the proportion of the population  mentioning 
cannabis use in the previous month has  almost doubled, from 2.1 to 
4.3 percent in 2009," said  Georgiades, noting that these numbers 
mostly indicate  pre-existing users. "Although it has doubled, there 
is  also an optimistic message in that we are seeing fewer  and fewer 
new users emerge."

However Georgiades noted that the European trend is  towards 
synthetic drugs like amphetamines and ecstasy,  and that new 
substances are continually emerging. "In  2008, 13 new psychosomatic 
substances appeared in  Europe, almost doubling to 24 in 2009."

The National Strategy for Drugs covers areas of  prevention, 
treatment and social re-integration, as  well as reducing harm and supply.

"The appointment of officials in the ministries to  promote actions 
of the plan is an important aspect of  the strategy and is underway," 
said ASK Executive  Secretary Tonia Bayada.

Bayada outlined that the priorities for prevention lie  in part in 
the education system, and for treatment in  the securing of 
continuing after care and accessibility  to treatment.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom