Pubdate: Wed, 19 Apr 2006
Source: Irish Examiner (Ireland)
Copyright: Examiner Publications Ltd, 2006
Contact:  http://www.irishexaminer.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/144
Author: Cormac O'Keeffe
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)

NUMBER OF COCAINE USERS SEEKING TREATMENT DOUBLES

THE number of people seeking treatment for cocaine abuse has doubled,  
according to new national figures.

The data shows that 311 people reported cocaine as their main drug of  
abuse in 2003, compared to 155 in 2002.

A further 2,244 people said cocaine was a secondary problem drug in  
addition to their main drug of abuse, such as heroin. This compares  
to 1,716 in 2002 an increase of 30%. The two figures combined show  
that 2,555 people reported cocaine as one of their problem drugs in  
2003, compared to 1,871 in 2002.

Of the 2,555, some 1,929 lived in the eastern region (Dublin, Kildare  
and Wicklow), while 613 lived elsewhere in Ireland.

The figures taken from the National Drug Treatment Reporting System  
(NDTRS) were published by the Health Research Board (HRB).

In a report, Dr Jean Long of the HRB said: "Analysis from the NDTRS  
indicates a sustained increase between 1998 and 2003 in the number of  
treated cases reporting cocaine as a problem drug, particularly as an  
additional problem drug among opiate users."

Heroin accounts for the vast majority of abused opiates.

Dr Long said the number of cases where cocaine was the primary  
problem drug jumped by 262%, from 86 in 1998 to 311 in 2003.

This included 157 new cases in 2003, compared to 65 in 2002 a rise of  
140%. The remainder of the case load is made up of previously treated  
cases.

The number of cases where cocaine was an additional problem drug rose  
by almost 400%, from 454 in 1998 to 2,244 in 2003.

"When cocaine was reported as the main problem drug, cannabis,  
alcohol and ecstasy were the most common additional problem drugs,"  
said Dr Long.

But where cocaine was an additional problem drug, the main drug was  
heroin, followed by cannabis and ecstasy, she said.

Tony Geoghegan of Merchants Quay Ireland, the largest voluntary  
treatment centre, said: "It's probably an underestimation. It's only  
showing people presenting for treatment and, of course, there's an  
awful lot more people using cocaine and not presenting for treatment."

Mr Geoghegan said there were factors why cocaine users might not be  
showing up for treatment. He said they generally didn't get into  
difficulty as quickly as, for example, heroin users.

He said there was also a general perception that there was no  
treatment for cocaine.

"This isn't the case, it's just that there isn't a medical  
substitution treatment available, as with heroin."

He said there were counselling-based techniques, which could be used  
along with holistic therapies, relaxation techniques and, in severe  
cases, anti-depressants to treat cocaine.
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