<p>
	The Government is putting hundreds of lives at risk by slashing drug addiction prevention budgets by more than a third since it came to power.</p>
<p>
	The claim was made by drug service workers, opposition politicians, and former addicts at a major conference of the Citywide Drugs Crisis Campaign group yesterday.</p>
<p>
	Speaking at the latest in a series of meetings attempting to force the issue back onto the political agenda before next month&rsquo;s local and European elections, the group said more than 600 people are dying of drug addiction every year &mdash; almost two deaths a day.</p>
<p>
	However, spokesperson for the group, Anna Quigley, said services meant to be there to help those directly at risk are seeing their funding slashed.</p>
<p>
	&ldquo;The current Government has implemented cuts of 37% to the drugs initiative budget and cuts of over 45% to community and voluntary sector groups. It has never explained why these cuts are far greater than the average level of cuts to public spending [which is 7.1%],&rdquo; said Ms Quigley.</p>
<p>
	&ldquo;All the evidence confirms our communities are now coping with an increasingly complex and chaotic drug problem that includes a mix of legal drugs, illegal drugs and alcohol.</p>
<p>
	&ldquo;Heroin use is continuing to grow in communities outside Dublin, along with high levels of poly-drug [multiple drugs at the same time] use... The risks attached to using and mixing drugs is reflected in the annual figures for drug-related deaths.</p>
<p>
	&ldquo;Those elected in May should be lending their voice to the call for a review of the so-called &lsquo;war on drugs&rsquo; approach.</p>
<p>
	&ldquo;All the evidence points to the failure of the current approach and the need for an open and informed debate on decriminalisation and legislation.&rdquo;</p>
<p>
	During a two-hour meeting at the Gresham Hotel in Dublin City, concerns were raised over how the country&rsquo;s drug problem is now a national crisis which is no longer confined to urban areas. One speaker from the floor said &ldquo;one in every 10&rdquo; families in Sligo is affected and are &ldquo;living in fear&rdquo; of local dealers.</p>
<p>
	In a video statement to the conference, long-time community campaigner Fr Peter McVerry alleged the issue is further compounded by a &ldquo;sort of institutional racism&rdquo;, which is discriminating against people from poor areas seeking help.</p>
<p>
	The meeting was attended by People Before Profit Alliance TD Richard Boyd Barrett, Sinn F&eacute;in TD Aengus &Oacute; Snodaigh, Independent TD Maureen O Sullivan. Also present was Labour TD Robert Dowds , who criticised coalition partner Fine Gael for its lack of attention to the issue.</p>
<p>
	However, despite representatives from all parties being asked to attend on a number of occasions over the past three weeks, Fine Gael and Fianna F&aacute;il sent no officials to the event.</p>
<p>
	While the conference organisers were given no explanation by Fine Gael, it is understood Fianna F&aacute;il health spokesperson, Billy Kelleher, was due to attend, but had to cancel yesterday morning.</p>
<p>
	<a href="http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/lives-at-risk-due-to-cuts-in-drugs-services-264917.html">http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/lives-at-risk-due-to-cuts-in-drugs-services-264917.html</a></p>
