Trends Over 20,000 children are hooked on heroin

[rocksmokinmachine]

Over 20,000 children are hooked on heroin
By Nina Goswami and Gemma Brosnan
Last Updated: 11:46pm GMT04/02/2006

Up to 35,000 children under 16 are using heroin, according to official figures.
The alarming scale of heroin abuse by children is revealed just a week after an 11-year-old girl collapsed at her primary school desk in Glasgow after smoking the drug.
Until now, figures on heroin addiction among children were based on research collated from just two cities, Glasgow and Newcastle upon Tyne, where 90 heroin addicts under 13 were discovered.
But new Government figures, based on a nationwide survey, show that the problem is much more widespread than originally thought. One leading academic on child drug abuse said last night that the number of schoolchildren using heroin could be as high as 60,000.
Doctors said the figure showed that heroin was a ticking "health time bomb" and parents called for urgent action by the Government.
Gaille McCann, a spokesman for Mothers Against Drugs, said last night: "The Government's own figures prove that the 11-year-old girl wasn't an isolated case.

"They keep trying to reassure us that there isn't a crisis but they need to stop pretending and act quickly before the situation gets out of control."
Dr Paul Skett, an addiction expert from GlasgowUniversity, gave warning that heroin abuse could cause serious long-term damage to children's health. "Heroin affects the brain, hormonal and sexual development which means children won't develop properly and girls might not be able to have children when they are older," he said.
The Government findings, from the study Smoking, Drinking and Drug Use Among Young People in England in 2004, states that in each year since 2000 one per cent of all schoolchildren used heroin at least once.
More than 9,700 children aged 11 to 15 were interviewed. A similar survey was conducted in Scotland, where the same percentage of heroin users was found among 7,000 schoolchildren.
Elizabeth Fuller, the lead statistician on the Government survey, said that the figure was rounded up from 0.7 per cent but margins of error meant that the figure could be 0.5 per cent or 0.9 per cent - putting the nationwide number of children taking heroin at between 19,500 and 35,100.
Prof Neil McKeganey, a narcotics expert from GlasgowUniversity, said the figure could be much higher than 35,000 and would continue to rise.
"Growing numbers of children are being exposed to heroin from infancy," he said. "Around 300,000 children growing up in the UK have one or both parents addicted to heroin. These children assume heroin use is quite normal."
Sarah Compton, 29, who became hooked on heroin after suffering sexual abuse as a child and is currently in rehabilitation with the charity Phoenix House, said: "I went to a Catholic school where they didn't warn us about the dangers of drink and drugs until we were 13 and 14, and by then it was too late. It's not unusual to be doing A-class drugs at 12."
Kelly Anderson, 27, from Newcastle, whose spiral towards heroin addiction began at 14, said: "I'm not surprised that there are 11-year-olds on heroin. I've seen it before. It's definitely usual for kids around 14."
Andrew Lansley, the shadow health secretary said: "We need effective measures to create awareness in young people of the risks."
The Department of Health said: "We have made sure that all schools receive guidance on solvents, drugs and alcohol."

[Coconut]

Heroin? Usual for kids around 14? Is this a joke or am I just incredibly ignorant?

[rocksmokinmachine]

Originally Posted by c0c0nut

Heroin? Usual for kids around 14? Is this a joke or am I just incredibly ignorant?

No! Its an article from the torygraph, seriously...

[yaba]

Originally Posted by c0c0nut

Heroin? Usual for kids around 14? Is this a joke or am I just incredibly ignorant?

Swim was 13 when he started smoking heroin and crack. He smoked heroin before he had his first joint.

[BeachBabeluvinlife]

That's really sad. As a mother, that would be ONE of your worst nightmare's come true.

[rocksmokinmachine]

I know SWIM's mother was devasated when he told her had a heroin habit at 14. She still worries to this day

[BeachBabeluvinlife]

I am sorry to hear this.

[rocksmokinmachine]

Don't be, it's a decision at the end of the day

It was just SWIM's town at the time, it was everywhere

[Rio Fantastic]

11 years old!? That's insane. The parents of that girl must be drug addicts as well, parents in their right mind would surely not of overlooked their own daughter get a heroin addiction.

[D.U.M.B]

Thats horrible, the people that get these kids hooked well they should be tortured or something

[rocksmokinmachine]

I think this story has definately got to be taken with a pinch of salt. I mean... It's an article from the torygraph.

As for people selling 11 year old kids heroin, your right in saying what they need. An intense session of electrodes on the testicles, followed by a wire coat hanger down the japs-eye. I could go on...

[D.U.M.B]

SWIM has seen some of the "starter" kits dealers are handing out to young people to get them hooked. Its disgusting

[rocksmokinmachine]

Originally Posted by D.U.M.B

SWIM has seen some of the "starter" kits dealers are handing out to young people to get them hooked. Its disgusting

Really!? Please explain. This is shocking! What are in these so called 'starter kits'?

[D.U.M.B]

Originally Posted by rocksmokinmachine

Really!? Please explain. This is shocking! What are in these so called 'starter kits'?

Everything you'd need. A lighter, a small bit of heroin, syringe, elastic to tie around your arm to help vein appear, something like a spoon to melt the heroin and something else that SWIM was told dilutes the Heroin to make it less strong

[MaryJaneBenzo]

I have to say that your reply is nothing short of BS!!
People don't go around giving out so called "starter kits" here in Eire!
I reckon you are listening/reading about things the yanks are akin to doing.
Speaking as a recovering Heroin addict from north inner city Dublin, i've never seen the likes of what you stated in my life.
So to say it's happening in Tipp is just not true my friend!

Reputation Comments on this post:

insulting other members

[Homegrow3r]

Originally Posted by D.U.M.B

Everything you'd need. A lighter, a small bit of heroin, syringe, elastic to tie around your arm to help vein appear, something like a spoon to melt the heroin and something else that SWIM was told dilutes the Heroin to make it less strong

With all due respects but your friend was sold a load of tabloid shite, that's like something you'd read in the news of the world, found out by their inside reporter.
You have to add a little acid, normally ascorbic acid or vitamin c to turkish brown heroin so that it dissolves properly, people don't normally add stuff to their drugs to dilute them.
Another thing, my friend has never heard of someone starting on the needle, everyone starts out smoking with very few exceptions.
And all that in Tipp.......

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insulting other members

[Bajeda]

Originally Posted by Homegrow3r

Another thing, my friend has never heard of someone starting on the needle, everyone starts out smoking with very few exceptions.

Just because your friend has certain experiences doesn't mean he is all-knowing, or can even speak for the majority of those in his area.

Most people who got into H that Humpity the camel knows started with snorting, and most never even bothered with smoking. It is rare to go to injecting right away, but not unheard of, especially if there is an experienced friend/user to guide a novice through the process.






Give D.U.M.B. a break. He saw what he described, ok. Perhaps it was just an anomaly, and doesn't occur otherwise. Maybe he misinterpreted the intent behind it. Whatever. The insinuations of lying and general nastyness in the replies needs to stop. MaryJaneBenzo, you could have picked a better method of explaining away the oddity described by D.U.M.B. than attacking his credibility and persona. Some people are taking this a bit too hard, just chill out.

[D.U.M.B]

SWIM has seen this with his own eyes and didn't read it so it isn't bullshit and he doesn't know what the thing was to dilute it. You can deny these exist if you want but SWIM has seen it and while he doesn't want to blame other nationalties for it there has been a sharp rise especially in SWIM's area of H since an influx of eastern europeans came to his area (SWIM isn't blaming them but it seems coincidental). If you must know theres more non nationals than irish people in SWIM's town

Call SWIM what you want but seeing is believing and SWIM seen it. If SWIM hadn't seen these kits and someone else posted this he too would probably say BS but the fact is he saw one of these kits

[MaryJaneBenzo]

Originally Posted by D.U.M.B

Everything you'd need. A lighter, a small bit of heroin, syringe, elastic to tie around your arm to help vein appear, something like a spoon to melt the heroin and something else that SWIM was told dilutes the Heroin to make it less strong

If SWIY have seen such a "Pack" and it does indeed have all the above
in there,, then lets see. Sum Smack, Check, Syringe, Check, Elastic, Check, Spoon, Check,
Water, Maybe a Check, because SWIY MAY have gotten "confused" with the "Something to dilute it with" part.
So it seems that were only missing the citric as we all know citric would most definitely be in this "Pack" if it does exist..
It sounds like some sort of BS that EURAD would be trying to tell the country existed and was been given to kids in school for free at lunchtime!!

Originally Posted by D.U.M.B

SWIM has seen this with his own eyes and didn't read it so it isn't bullshit and he doesn't know what the thing was to dilute it. You can deny these exist if you want but SWIM has seen it and while he doesn't want to blame other nationalities for it there has been a sharp rise especially in SWIM's area of H since an influx of eastern europeans came to his area (SWIM isn't blaming them but it seems coincidental). If you must know there's more non nationals than Irish people in SWIM's town

Call SWIM what you want but seeing is believing and SWIM seen it. If SWIM hadn't seen these kits and someone else posted this he too would probably say BS but the fact is he saw one of these kits

If SWIY has seen one of these "Packs" "with his own eyes" and reckons
that it May have something to do with the Influx of Eastern Europeans
to his area (which i doubt very much, as these people are into there Herb, and not handing out smack!)
then it's a sad day for our kids future.
It's one of these Grannie Kenny type fantasy stories that she would moot to try and get some media coverage!
And i never did "call you anything" as far as i can see!!
Then there's your reply "If SWIM hadn't seen these kits and someone else posted this he too would probably say BS"
There is the answer to my first reply in this topic,, but i still find it very hard to believe that such a "Pack" Exists.

[Homegrow3r]

Whatever.
I think your friend is deluded.

Reputation Comments on this post:

disrespect, dismissing other forum members views with 'whatever' is unacceptable

[Homegrow3r]

Ah ok water to dilute so the kiddies don't have to stick the works in the toilet bowl, that's considerate, but no acid, yeah, you're right Mary.

[D.U.M.B]

Maybe it was a once off with these starter kits, maybe this dealer SWIM was dealing with is one of a few doing this in Ireland, the less the better.

[rocksmokinmachine]

If it was something read in a red top newspaper then I would be inclined to agree with the comments made by other forum member.

SWIDUMB has no reason to lie, if it is something he has seen, then I am inclined to believe him.

There has been a sharp increase in immigration from eastern Europeans across the UK and Ireland and they are in every city, so I doubt any correlation could be made to that and the heroin use of the younger generation in Ireland.