Land of cocaine
Irish drug patient numbers up for third year in a row
Cocaine use can be deadly THE number of Irish people treated for cocaine abuse has shot up for the third year in a row.
Figures show the number of women reporting problems with the drug has jumped from 14% in 2010 to 23% in 2016.
In that period, the Health Research Board revealed 63,187 cases and an increase from 8,806 cases in 2010 to 9,227 in 2016.
While opiates, mainly heroin, were the most commonly reported drug, the proportion of cases treated has decreased from 5,115 in 2010 to 4,341 in 2016.
Cannabis is the second most common substance among patients, increasing from 2,025 cases in 2010 to 2,439 of all cases in 2016.
The HRB’S Dr Suzi Lyons said cocaine and cannabis are two of the main culprits.
She added: “Opiates remain the main problem but they have decreased as a proportion of all cases treated, from 58% in 2010 to 47% in 2016.
“Meanwhile the proportion of all cases that report cocaine, cannabis and benzodiazepines have increased’.
“Since 2014 there has been a steady increase in the proportion of cases reporting cocaine as a main problem drug, rising from 8%, 708 cases, of all cases in 2013 to 12%, 1,138 cases, in 2016.
“This is in new and previously treated cases.
“There has been an increase in the proportion of cases who were female, from 14% in 2010 to 23% in 2016.”
Dr Lyons added there has also been an increase in the number of people with benzodiazepines problems. She said they rose from 365 cases in 2010 to 897 in 2016. Dr Lyons added: “The figures show a decrease in the proportion of new cases, or people presenting for treatment for the first time. “There has been an rise in the proportion of previously treated cases, or people returning for treatment, indicating the relapsing nature of addiction.” The average age of those with drug problems rose from 28 in 2010 to 30 years in 2016.
of women seeking help with drugs have a problem with cocaine