Almost two in three people treated for substance misuse in the South East in 2011 were treated for problems with alcohol, a new report has shown.

According to the HSE report, Overview of Drug Misuse 2011, over 2,800 people were treated for substance misuse in Carlow, Kilkenny, south Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford. Of these, 61% were treated for alcohol misuse.

This was followed by cannabis use (16%) and heroin use (15%). Some 3% were treated for cocaine use.

Altogether, more than 3,700 people were assessed and/or treated in the region in 2011, a 28% increase from 2010. According to the HSE, this can be partly attributed to an increase in resources in late 2010, which lead to a reduction in waiting times and greater capacity to treat people.

According to Dr Derval Howley of the HSE South, substance misuse services in the South East have ‘developed and expanded' over the last few years, to include new services such as needle exchange programmes, additional addiction counselors and new residential detox beds.

"Each county now also provides a drop-in service once a week where no appointment is necessary. The HSE and voluntary funded services are working more closely together to ensure that people who need support for their own or a family member's addiction are supported to access treatment," Dr Howley added.