Alcohol is our main gateway drug- Conway
Issued : Tuesday 24 January, 2012
Statement by Ciara Conway TD
HEALTH AND CHILDREN COMMITTEE RELEASES REPORT ON MISUSE OF ALCOHOL AND DRUGS
Labour T.D. for Waterford, Ciara Conway says that a new report from the Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children shows that alcohol - rather than cannabis- is our main gateway drug.
Ciara Conway is the Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Health and Children and was speaking at the launch of the 'Report on The Misuse of Alcohol and Other Drugs'.
"People often think of cannabis as a gateway drug- but that's not necessarily true. In the process of compiling this report we have clearly seen that the misuse of alcohol can be a slippery slope to moving on to other illegal drugs.
"The report recommends a ban on advertising heavily discounted alcohol products, and suggests that alcohol shouldn't be advertised on TV before 9pm.
"The Committee report advises that the Government should look at banning alcohol advertising on social networking websites, such as facebook. We believe that advertisers are targeting people under the age of eighteen, and that has to stop.
"Access to alcohol is also identified as a problem. We need to change the situation in Ireland whereby people can easily buy drink as part of their weekly shop- it's a powerful drug and it's too easily available. I want to see a situation where customers have to use a separate entrance if they're going to the off-licence. You shouldn't be able to buy a litre of vodka as easily as a litre of milk. We shouldn't be able to buy alcohol by influence or by accident.
"Another issue raised by the report identifies concerns in relation to prescribing patterns of benzodiazepines. It seems that there are cases where pills are being used to sedate people, rather than tackling the wider social issues.
"What we have here is a set of suggestions as to how this government can tackle the problems with drink and drugs in this country. I am pleased to see the report published- and now we have to work on seeing that the recommendations are followed."
The full report can be found here
