Drug addiction treatment has proved successful in significantly reducing criminal activity, a new study said today.
Dr Catherine Comiskey
Research among over 400 drug users on the effectiveness of treatment found that after one year the number of people involved in criminal activity dropped from 31 per cent to 14 per cent.
The National Advisory Committee on Drugs (NACD) said significant reductions in heroin and drug use were detected, dropping from 81 per cent at the start of treatment programmes to 48 per cent at the end of the first year.
Among the 305 people who completed the interviews after a year there were reductions in the frequency of heroin use.
The study also found the average amount of money spent on heroin in a typical day when using drugs dropped from €75.20 to €24.10.
The numbers using cocaine dropped from 45 per cent to 21 per cent, crack cocaine usage fell from 16 per cent to 6 per cent, while cannabis consumption dropped from 66 per cent to 53 per cent.
At the publication of the study in Dublin, Dr Catherine Comiskey, the principal investigator, said: "We found extensive reductions in criminal activity, so after one year in treatment the amount of crime people had committed was reduced."
She said the numbers reporting acquisition crimes fell from 31 per cent at the start of treatment to 14 per cent after a year, and those selling or supplying drugs dropped from 31 per cent to 11 per cent at the end of a year.
The number of people injecting drugs also dropped from 46 per cent to 29 per cent after 12 months.
"We can conclude quite confidently that certainly treatment works," she said.
Noel Ahern, Minister of State with responsibility for the National Drugs Strategy, said: "All this is good news for individual, for their families and the community where they live."
Mr Ahern said there were now around 8,000 people on methadone programmes, and it was estimated there were over 14,000 heroin users. He said there were around 200 people on a waiting list in Dublin, with around 100 outside of the capital.
The Minister said there can be delays in getting GPs and pharmacies involved in the treatment programmes.
Dr Des Corrigan, chair of the NACD, said it was a huge challenge to move people off programmes and reintegrate them into society.
PA