The number of people treated for cocaine abuse in Ireland has risen for the third year in a row.
Opiates, mostly heroin, proved the most commonly reported drug over a seven-year period in a new drug treatment study from the Health Research Board, though the amount of treated cases has decreased significantly in that time.
Cannabis, meanwhile, is the second most common substance reported by new cases, increasing from 23% (2,025 cases) in 2010 to 26% (2,439 cases) by 2016.
Contrast that with opiates, which has gone from 58% (5,115 cases) to 47% (4,341 cases) in the same time period.
Elsewhere, the number of Irish people who received treatment for cocaine abuse has risen for a third year in a row.
The latest figures – recorded by the National Drug Treatment Reporting System – illustrate that a total of 63,187 cases were treated for problem drug use – excluding alcohol – in Ireland between 2010 and 2016.
In that timeframe, treated cases increased overall from 8,806 cases to 9,227 cases.
Each record in the database relates to a treatment episode, and not necessarily a separate individual, meaning that the same person could be counted more than once in a calendar year if they had more than one treatment episode in that year.
In cases of treatment for cocaine abuse, there has been a steady increase since 2014, rising from 8% (708 cases) of all cases in 2013, to 12% (1,138 cases) of all cases in 2016.
This rise is attributed to both new and previously treated cases. There has also been a notable increase in the proportion of cases who were female, from 14% in 2010 to 23% in 2016.
The proportion of cases reporting crack cocaine increased from 9% of cases in 2010 to 11% in 2016.
Employment among those presenting for treatment for cocaine use increased from 15% in 2010 to 28% in 2016.
The majority of recorded cases were male, amounting to seven out of every 10.
The median age of cases has increased from 28 years in 2010 to 30 years in 2016.
Cases related to homelessness increased from 5% (453 cases) to 10% (886) over the same period.
Speaking on some of the trends found in the paper, Dr Suzi Lyons, Senior Researcher at the HRB noted that there are changes in the types of drugs reported.
“The figures show a decrease in the proportion of new cases, or people presenting for treatment for the first time,” said Lyons.
“However, there has been an increase in the proportion of previously treated cases, or people returning for treatment, indicating the chronic, relapsing nature of addiction.”
The full breakdown is available to read here.
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
