Cocaine problems 'increasing steadily' in Ireland

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by Change | 22 Sep 2009

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More and more people are seeking advice and support for cocaine addiction in Ireland, a new report suggests.

There has been a rise in the number of people in Ireland being treated for cocaine addiction, new figures indicate.

According to the Health Research Board, which analysed trends between 2002 and 2007, the number of people seeking help for cocaine addiction rose 177 per cent, from 954 in 2002 to 2,643 in 2007.

Furthermore, the number of people reporting cocaine as their main problem substance leapt more than 500 per cent during the same time.

The report states: "The incidence of treated problem cocaine use among 15 to 64-year-olds living in Ireland increased steadily from five per 100,000 in 2002 to 15 per 100,000 in 2007.

"Increasing numbers of new cocaine cases entering treatment is an indicator of recent trends in problem cocaine use in the population."

Users regularly abusing cocaine can seek help in the form of addiction centres, of which there are an increasing number in Ireland, the report adds.

The paper also suggests that 80 per cent of cocaine addicts also use other drugs, such as cannabis (58 per cent), alcohol (56 per cent) and ecstasy (32 per cent).

Some 12 million people in Europe and the Americas regularly use cocaine, according to Drug-Aware.

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