Pubdate: Wed, 28 Jan 2009
Source: Argus, The (UK)
Copyright: 2009 Newsquest Media Group
Contact:  http://www.theargus.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2706
Author: Ben Parsons
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)

NUMBER OF WOMEN IN SUSSEX USING COCAINE RISES

Women In Sussex Are In The Grip Of Cocaine Addiction As Use Of The Drug Soars.

More women in the county were cautioned last year for  having cocaine 
than almost anywhere else in the country  outside London.

According to the Ministry of Justice, the number of  women cautioned 
for possession of cocaine nationwide  has risen nearly five times 
since 2002 with Sussex  second only to the London, Thames Valley and 
Hertfordshire police areas.

Dr Richard Bowskill, lead psychiatrist for addiction  treatment at 
the Priory Hospital in Hove, said he is  seeing more and more women 
who need treatment for  cocaine use.

In Brighton and Hove, the number of drug addicts in  treatment rose 
by 19% between September 2007 and August  2008, mostly for heroin and 
crack cocaine addiction.

Drug charity Frank said it receives double the amount  of calls about 
cocaine now than it did three years ago.

The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug  Addiction says 
more people in Britain admit trying  cocaine than anywhere else in Europe.
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