HEROIN continues to be the most problematic substance among Drug Concern users. Demand for the charity’s services is also rising and the number of new clients almost doubled last year. They are expected to increase again this year.

The number of clients dropping in and those with appointments have both risen threefold.

There has been a significant increase in new ones between the ages of 31 and 50 – largely as referrals from criminal justice organisations.

‘Inevitably people reach a point in their drug use when sustaining a habit becomes very difficult and it is often at this point that they ask for help,’ said manager Tracey Rear.

The primary drug for which people seek help is class-A heroin, although there has been a slight increase in cannabis contacts.

Needle exchange clients are predominantly male and between 21 and 30.

One of the difficulties Drug Concern faces this year is to reduce the gap in funding.

It needs to secure about £40,000 to continue to provide its services.

‘One of our main challenges this year is to secure new premises. Currently, our tenure is insecure and this poses a threat to the continuation of services. We have an urgent need to secure a suitable, affordable and user-friendly site that will allow us to continue to respond to the demand for services,’ she said in Drug Concern’s annual report.

The Criminal Justice Drug Service – a partnership between the Probation Service and Drug Concern which aims to reduce drug-related crime by diverting into treatment drug-using offenders – had a busy 2006 and slightly more referrals than the previous year.

Drug Concern is hoping to set up a service-user group – the aim being to encourage their involvement, especially relating to the types of service available to them.

The addition of a full-time substance misuse worker in the prison will provide services for both drug and alcohol users. It is hoped to increase the uptake of post-release involvement in the community.

* For more information about the work or services or anybody wanting to make a donation, call 239132.