Drug dealers trying to get users addicted to crack and heroin by selling 'package deal'

Michael Guerin, a senior addiction counsellor with Cuan Mhuire treatment in Bruree, Co Limerick, said the problem has got noticeably worse over the past year.

“In terms of crack cocaine, it was a substance of interest at the end of last year but we are amazed at the extent to which service users are anecdotally reporting how available crack cocaine is in the community even since last year,” he said.

“With crack cocaine it creates a very intense short-lived feeling of euphoria followed by a catastrophic comedown.

“The thing that’s being suggested to them by the people selling crack cocaine is that they take heroin to deal with the comedown from the crack cocaine.”