Young drug users are shunning heroin in favour of cocaine and prescription drugs, according to newly published research.
The survey also found the majority of those on methadone programmes are still abusing a wide variety of drugs.
The NUI Maynooth researchers found a strong stigma against heroin use among 16 to 25 year olds who used many other substances including cocaine and off-label prescription medication.
Lead researcher Dr A Jamie Saris said current Government policy is too focused on heroin abuse to deal with younger addicts.
‘The reality is that these people are difficult for a treatment infrastructure built around opiates to service,’ Dr Saris said.
The study followed nearly 100 drug users in Dublin's south city for a year and found that while the Government classified those on methadone programmes as in treatment, the reality was that most abused drugs.
The researchers found that 63% of those on methadone said they had used heroin in the past three months, 30% crack cocaine, 22% powder cocaine, 46% on street tranquillisers and 50% prescribed tranquillisers.
Dr Saris said that by concentrating on heroin or crack, policy makers are missing how commonly legal pharmaceuticals and even methadone itself are being consumed illegally.
