Irish cocaine and ecstasy use well above EU average

COCAINE and ecstasy use in Ireland is among the highest in Europe, according to a report, published yesterday, which revealed that cocaine is fast becoming the drug of choice for young people across the EU.

The 2005 annual report of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) said cocaine trafficking and use is rising throughout Europe with growing evidence of cocaine-related health problems.

EU drug experts fear cocaine is becoming the “stimulant drug of choice” among many young people and that cocaine consumption rates in some countries are now similar to those in the US.

The report warned that cocaine-related death was a “serious and possibly under-reported problem” estimating that cocaine plays a key part in around 10% of all drug-related deaths.

“Indicators of cocaine trafficking and consumption now overwhelmingly point to a rise in importation and use of the drug,” the report said.

EMCDDA director Wolfgang Gotz said indications suggested cocaine trafficking and consumption would increase further in the coming years.

The report found that Ireland is above the EU average for ecstasy use among young adults, slightly above average for cocaine use and well below average for cannabis.

In a comparable survey of 20 EU countries, the report found that:

* 7.1% of 15 to 34-year-olds in Ireland had taken ecstasy at some stage in their lives, compared to an EU average of 5.4% - placing Ireland fifth.

* 4.8% of the same age group had taken cocaine (EU average 4.2%) - Ireland had the sixth highest level.

* 24% had smoked cannabis (EU average 31%) - Ireland ranked 10th.

When drug use within the past year was examined, the results showed:

* 2.2% of 15 to 34-year-olds had taken ecstasy (EU average 1.9%) - Ireland ranked seventh highest in the survey.

* 2% had taken cocaine in the past year (EU average 1.9%) - Ireland ranked fifth.

* 8.7% had smoked cannabis (EU average 14%) - placing Ireland in 10th position.

The report said 4% of young adults in Britain and Spain had taken cocaine in the past year.

The Health Research Board in Dublin, which contributed to the European report, said lifetime use of cocaine among young adults in Ireland was in the “mid-EU range”.

It said there had been an increase of 1,200% in the number of cocaine seizures here, from 42 in 1995 to 566 in 2003.

The board said the number of people receiving cocaine-related treatment had jumped by 400% since 1998.

The report noted that a study published last year showed that Irish schoolchildren had among the highest rates of drug use in Europe.

The European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) found that Ireland had the second highest rate of cannabis use, at 39%, among 15 to 16-year-olds and joint-second highest for ecstasy use, at 5%, for the same age group.