Northern Ireland Health Minister Edwin Poots has released a new strategy aimed at dealing with Northern Ireland’s alcohol and drug misuse issues.  The five year plan named the New Strategic Direction for Alcohol and Drugs - Phase 2 (NSD - Phase 2) was launched by Mr Poots during the  first ever formal North/South Conference on alcohol misuse.

There are five main areas in the new strategy.  These are prevention and early intervention, harm reduction, treatment and support, law and criminal justice and finally, monitoring, evaluation and research.

It is estimated that alcohol costs Northern Ireland £900 million every year.

Judge Eamonn King, district court judge in Northern Ireland, has said that 80% of cases brought before his court are alcohol related.  Read more here.