We associate drug use with youth but the numbers of people aged 40 years or over with addiction problems are on the increase.
The issue was recently looked at by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, which said the trend was likely to continue and might present challenges for the health services in the near future.
Between 1998 and 2008, the proportion of reported cases aged 40 or over increased almost every year, rising from three per cent of the total in 1998 to nine per cent in 2008, according to the Health Research Board.
The increase was most evident in the 40-49 year age group, where the proportion of cases rose from three per cent in 1998 to eight per cent in 2008.
Source: Eilish O'Regan, The Irish Independent, 07/03/2011
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