Subj: Drugs war to be extended

Date: Mar 26, 1998

Source: Belfast Telegraph

Drugs war to be extended

(Meeting held to address problem )

By Jason Johnson

ULSTER'S war against drugs is set to enter a new phase following a top
level review session by those on the front line.

The UK's newly appointed deputy Drugs Czar, Mike Trace, yesterday
met with delegates from across the province to discuss the issues and
begin hammering out the latest strategy in the on- going fight.

He said the meeting, held in Coleraine, was the next step in trying to
crush the comparatively small but nonetheless significant drugs problem
in Ulster.

Plans to be firmed up among voluntary and statutory sectors include
building on prevention and education techniques, examining enforcement
strategies and improving research methods.

Latest statistics suggest that drug use among over 16-year- olds here has
fallen in the last 12 months but is on the rise in specific parts of the
province.

It is also thought that the gap in male and female adolescent drug taking
is narrowing.

Sixty members from the four local drug co- ordination teams here heard
Mr Trace tell of a "situation on a smaller scale" to that across the water,
but he said there was no room for complacency.

Speaking afterwards, he said he had come along primarily to hear about
the drugs situation in Northern Ireland.

"What we want to do first is write a national strategy for England and
then pass that on to the profession here and see what they make of it,"
he said.

The workshop conference was the second since Security Minister Adam
Ingram set up the central co-ordinating group - which grew from the
previous government's Northern Ireland Drugs Campaign - to bring
together those who know the situation in the province.

Said Mr Trace: "Overall, we are optimistic about the situation.

"We are by no means in the scenario where our young people are being
lost to drugs, so we shouldn't panic about it." Statistics compiled from
various studies here show that:

* The use of Ecstasy last year compared to 1996 levelled at 2% among
those aged 16-59 and over, while the use of cannabis increased from
7% to 8%.

* The use of LSD fell from 3% in the same age group to 1%.

* The primary single reason people reported taking drugs was that
they made them feel good.

* Despite recent seizures of Crack, there is still no discernible
usage of this drug, or of heroin and cocaine, in Northern Ireland.