A global shortage of heroin could lead to a surge in fentanyl overdoses in Ireland, as addicts try other drugs. 

The Taliban regime in Afghanistan has cracked down on the poppy farmers whose crop is used to supply the overwhelming majority of the world’s heroin.

Their actions will likely cause a severe shortage of the drug in the medium-term and Ana Liffey Drug Project CEO Tony Duffin said many users would inevitably seek out other drugs.

“Afghanistan does provide 95% of the illicit trade of heroin for Europe,” he told The Hard Shoulder.

“So, we’re worried that when that’s taken out, it might seem like a good thing but something else will replace it and people will use other drugs.

“Those other drugs could be more potent, it could be fentanyl and if that’s the case, we’re going to have difficulties.”

Mr Duffin said fentanyl is incredibly dangerous and has triggered a devastating wave of addiction in the United States.

He said the drug is not an issue “per se” in Ireland yet - but if it does become more popular, the consequences would be very hard to predict.

“It’s risky when drug trends change and we need to use the foresight that we have to plan and do things now, so that we’re ready to respond,” he said.

“Because in a previous heroin drought in Ireland, we saw more people seeking treatment.

“They couldn’t get heroin and some of those people wanted to get into treatment.”

'Huge risk'

Alternatively, Mr Duffin said there is a “huge risk” that greater consumption of fentanyl could trigger a surge in overdose rates.

“When fentanyl enters the market in a really significant way - like it did in America - what they found was that they were cutting fentanyls into opiates like heroin, then into things like cocaine, then into things like MDMA or synthetic cannabinoids,” he said.

“It entered all of the drug market and that means that a lot more people are at risk of overdose.”

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Main image: Fentanyl. Picture by: Alamy.com