Drugs: ‘targeting the user’s problem’

LAST YEAR 884 heroine addicts participated in addiction recovery programmes by the Cyprus Anti-Drugs Council (ASK) its president said yesterday during a news conference on occasion of tomorrow’s World Drug Day.

Chrysanthos Georgiou said they were expecting the numbers to rise after legislation was amended to refer addicts to treatment centres instead of sending to them to jail.

The amendment mechanisms “are at the end of a long and painful process” Georgiou said adding they were also examining the legislation on providing clean syringes in order to bring it up to date.

The 2009-12 National Drugs Strategy focused on prevention and raising awareness, Georgiou said.

It mainly focused on prevention and treatment of younger users.

The new strategy will “involve a wider net of institutions and bodies by recognising the public’s role and responsibility”, he added.

But in addition to the public, authorities have a role to play by extending pharmaceutical support – often necessary for recovery.

Currently, only Nicosia and Limassol are covered, Georgiou said.

An addict in Larnaca, for example, would not be given any pharmaceutical support.

Georgiou was asked whether the police should be focusing on drug dealers instead “targeting the user’s problem”.

Agreeing that this was one of the things ASK wanted, Georgiou nonetheless referred to successful joint ventures.

FreD goes net, a programme by ASK, the police and the mental health services, has seen up to 90 per cent success in treating younger users, Georgiou said.

It is very important to create alternative choices for the young focusing on being creatively occupied, said Georgiou.

 

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