Use of illegal drugs in Northern Ireland: the strange case of a surprisingly small problem

Introduction Northern Ireland is a region with much stress from civil unrest and economic disadvantage. One might expect high levels of misuse of heroin and other drugs but this is not the case. Heroin use is low, running at about 10 per cent of the rate of misuse in other parts of the UK. This low use also contrasts with the high rate of misuse in some other parts of Ireland, notably Dublin. The size of the problem and factors influencing heroin use are examined in this chapter.