Alcohol abuse leads to far more problems than cannabis as a "gateway drug", the Minister of State for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, Mr Eoin Ryan, has said in Galway. An ambivalent attitude to alcohol prevailed in this State, but its abuse had already emerged as a major issue in the review of the National Drugs Strategy, he told a consultative forum yesterday.
Mr Ryan was commenting during the third of a series of eight consultative meetings being held as part of that strategy's review.
He referred to the inclusion of both alcohol and tobacco in the anti-drugs programme drawn up by the Australian government, which had proved to be a model internationally.
Use of alcohol in tandem with other substances was the main problem in the Galway, Mayo and Roscommon area, the Western Health Board's regional drugs co-ordinator, Ms Fiona Walsh, said. A survey by the health board in 1998 showed that 83 per cent of 15 to 17 year-olds questioned were using alcohol, and 68 per cent used tobacco. Some 25 per cent admitted to illegal substance use.
Under-age drinking was a major issue and one that would require improved links between the alcohol services drawn up for adults and the needs of adolescents, she said. This year, four addiction outreach posts had been established by the health board for Galway, Castlebar and Ballina in Co Mayo and Boyle in Co Roscommon, and some £500,000 in State funding had also been secured to open a health advice cafe in Galway, which would be run by young people for young people.
