Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

There is no doubt there have been changes in the drugs scene. For many years drug abuse equalled heroin abuse, before it moved on to cocaine abuse. Then there were the head-shop products, and recently we have seen an influx of snow blow and high-strength cannabis. Beneath all of that there is increasing use of tablets, both licit and illicit. The national drug-related deaths index showed that the generic group of benzodiazepine drugs are those most commonly found in polysubstance poisoning deaths. In the course of the consultations, front-line workers expressed their concern that when the legislation is introduced, welcome as it is, there will be a need to consider treatment services for those who are caught up in that tablet scene. That is the point of my question. There is quite a long lead-in to the legislation, and the European Commission also must express its view on it. It would be useful to commence planning for the services that will be provided for that group.

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