Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 164: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the research he has carried out within his Department or with other agencies or internationally through the World Health Organisation or other EU countries to determine the reason healthy activities such as sport and recreation are not succeeding as alternatives against the misuse of illicit substances such as drugs as highlighted in the recent report as published by the national drugs advisory committee on drugs in relation to young adults; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33520/08]

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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Research by the National Advisory Committee on Drugs (NACD) has showed that illegal drug use is a youth phenomenon in particular. It is important, therefore, to understand that many factors come into play when people decide to experiment with drugs. The risk factors associated with problematic drug use have been researched by the NACD and include the following:

Early school leaving/poor educational attainment;

History of unemployment;

Poor mental health history;

Family conflict/breakdown;

History of addiction;

Involvement in crime;

Anti-social behaviour; and

Social Networks (drug using peers or not).

As the Deputy will appreciate, the more these predisposing factors exist for an individual the greater the vulnerability to — and risk of — drug use. At the community and individual level, the evidence shows that prevention programmes should focus on targeting risk and developing protective factors. These help to reduce the likelihood of experimentation and focus on individual characteristics and family, educational, peer group and community factors.

In particular, there is evidence to suggest that the following types of interventions can be effective provided they meet specific conditions:

Community-based programmes targeting geographical areas of socio/economic disadvantage;

Early intervention programmes for children displaying risk factors

Family programmes — can delay or prevent drug misuse; and

LifeSkills Training has some prevention effects — but mainly in relation to legal substances and students who are not already at risk.

International evidence suggests that prevention works at three levels through (i) the use of universal strategies at the general population level, (ii) selective strategies used at the community level and (iii) indicative strategies aimed at the individual.

While the provision of sport and recreational facilities may have a role to play, they will not, in themselves, provide the solution to the misuse of illicit substances. Ultimately, I believe that it is only through addressing the risk factors through both the National Drugs Strategy — and the broader social inclusion agenda — that we can ultimately reduce the prevalence of problem drug use in our society.