Heroin 'a major problem' for tiny Malta

Heroin has been branded as "a major problem for a small country like Malta" and in 2003 there were 1,450 persons receiving treatment for this drug, according to the first national report on the drug situation.

A high number of those being treated - 925 persons - are considered to be problem users because of their daily reliance on heroin while 625 are in substitution treatment and taking methadone.

While this does not provide enough information to reliably assess the exact number of problem drug users in Malta, the report applies a statistical technique, which yields an estimate of 2,750-3,000 problem drug users, pointing towards a big problem of heroin addiction. The mean age of those in treatment in 2003 was 28 years and 14 per cent were 20 years old or younger. The mean age of those seeking treatment for the first time in 2003 was 23 and 43 per cent of these were aged 20 or younger.

Data from heroin clients treated for the first time in 2003 showed that they started taking heroin at around 19. The time lag between the first time they touch heroin to when they seek treatment is around four years; in other European countries this extends to about seven years.

The majority of clients, 61 per cent, across all drug categories are employed but 47.4 per cent of heroin clients are not. The majority of clients have stable accommodation with 68.7 per cent living with parents.

Cannabis remains the most popular and abused drug in Malta, especially since the island's climate makes it easy to grow without any artificial assistance.

The report was compiled by the National Focal Point for Drugs and Drug Addiction, under the auspices of the National Commission on the Abuse of Drugs, Alcohol and Other Dependencies, based in the Social Solidarity Ministry.

It was launched by Social Solidarity Minister Dolores Cristina yesterday, in the presence of focal point chairman Anna Girard and commission chairman Richard Muscat and other members.

It is the result of a painstaking exercise, made possible thanks to a Twinning Light Project signed with the Netherlands last year to collate and interpret all the information submitted by every organisation or authority related to drugs in Malta.

"This report finally gives us a comprehensive picture of the drug situation in Malta, which can help us draw up our policies. Before we had perceptions and played it by ear, now we have concrete data," Ms Cristina said.

The report provides the evidence for preliminary action towards the formulation of an evidence-based national drug strategy, in line with the new EU drug strategy that came out in January.

"Total government funding with regard to drug abuse is about Lm1.5 million a year, with 66 per cent being allotted to demand reduction activities and the other third going to supply reduction," Ms Cristina said.

It is interesting to note that findings of past surveys seem to suggest that, in general, drug use in Malta is restricted to a particular group who seem to use most drugs - poly drug users - and is not widespread throughout the population.

Between 1991 and 2003 there was a total of 63 acute, directly related drug deaths, with the mean age being 30 years. Of these four were female.

The cause of death in 95 per cent of the cases was opiates. However, due to a combination of factors, generally associated with determining the exact cause of death when drugs are involved, such figures could be a slight underestimate.

In relation to enforcement, the police force drug squad made 597 arrests of 528 persons on suspicion of drug-law offences in 2003. In 395 cases, involving 367 persons, an arrest resulted in charges. The majority, 87 per cent, of those arrested were male.

Almost all the arrested persons were charged for possession of drugs: 74 per cent on possession charges only and 22 per cent for possession and trafficking, mostly related to cannabis or heroin.

The general public perception is that a considerable proportion of other crimes committed, in particular petty theft, is attributed to drug users. The report points out that while no dedicated studies exist to corroborate this assumption, prison and probation data suggests that many offenders charged in court had a history of drug use.

In 2003 there were 475 people in prison, 30 per cent of who were charged or sentenced for drug offences.

According to prison authorities all inmates are tested for drugs upon admission. It is interesting to note that in 2003, 51 per cent of all inmates and 64 per cent of those imprisoned on drug related charges tested positive for drugs, mainly heroin and cannabis.

On the price and purity of drugs, the report shows that the street level prices of cannabis herb and resin has remained quite stable since 2001 - Lm3 per 4g for the herb and Lm10 per 3g of resin.

However, the price of cocaine and heroin has increased since 2001 going up by Lm10 per gram with heroine selling at Lm30 a gram and cocaine at Lm40.

On the other hand ecstasy has dropped in price from Lm5 to Lm6 in 2001 to about Lm4 per tablet in 2003.

Between 2001 and 2003 there was an increase in the purity of heroin but a decrease in the purity of ecstasy. The purity of other drugs remained stable.

On the issue of drug prevention the report highlights the need for better coordination between the different entities involved in this sector, together with appropriate monitoring and evaluation of the impact and effectiveness of the programme's objectives.

Prof. Muscat said the commission will be drawing up a draft strategy to present to the ministry in the coming months.