Heroin treatment services outside Dublin must be urgently expanded, experts urged today.
New research revealing heroin abuse outside the capital has more than quadrupled prompted calls for a wider range of services to cope with demand andprevent the spread of infections.
The number of users increased sharply from 6.6 per 100,000 to 25.4
between 1998 and 2002, according to a report published by the Health Research Board (HRB).
Dr Jean Long, senior researcher at the HRB's drugs misuse unit, said: "This is an indicator that problem heroin use requires long-term care or repeated treatment over time, which points to a need to further expand the number and range of treatment services.
"The provision of heroin treatment is not expensive when we look at the consequences of not treating it."
The number of new users outside the Eastern health board region rose from two to 8.3 per 100,000 between 1998 and 2002.
The highest numbers of new cases were recorded in counties bordering and near to Dublin - Carlow, Meath and Louth. High demand was also apparent in Cork, Roscommon and Longford.
The report reveals heroin users take an average of just under four years to seek treatment.
Dr Long warned that more research into this aspect of drug abuse was vital as users were likely to switch from smoking heroin to injecting it during that time.
The number of injectors during the study period increased from 48 in 1998 to 183 in 2002.
"Injecting leads to a higher risk of acquiring blood-borne viral infections and of experiencing overdose," Dr Long added.
"Proactive intervention through outreach would help prevent the move from smoking to injecting opiates and bring opiate users into treatment earlier."
The HRB called for the introduction of harm reduction services to prevent the spread of blood-borne infections among injectors not yet in treatment.
The use of more than one drug among heroin users has slightly decreased. Between 1998 and 2002, the use of cocaine and benzodiazepines as second drugs increased, while the use of amphetamines decreased.
The study involved 614 treated opiate users - usually heroin - living in seven health board areas - Midland, Mid-Western, North Eastern, North Western, Southern, South Eastern and Western.