38% crack rate for cocaine users

MORE than a third of problem cocaine users in Dublin have recently taken crack cocaine, according to research.

The study found Dublin had the fourth highest usage of crack out of nine European cities surveyed.

The report studied three different sub-groups of cocaine users across the nine cities: problem users in treatment; problem users not in treatment and integrated or recreational users.

Dublin researchers interviewed 73 marginalised users, 71 users in treatment and 51 integrated users.

Around 38% of marginalised users said they had used crack cocaine in the last 30 days, with 32% of treatment users reporting the same.

None of the integrated users reported taking crack.

Hamburg, London and Paris - which have had crack problems for much longer than Ireland - reported higher crack use among treatment and marginalised users.

But as in Dublin, and other cities surveyed, very few of the integrated users reported using crack.

The study, published the European Addiction Research journal, was carried out in Dublin by the Addiction Research Centre in Trinity College.

They found that 82% of integrated users reported they did not use cocaine regularly.

Across the nine cities as a whole, the survey found that 95% of integrated users snorted the drug. In contrast, 60% of both treatment and marginalised users injected the drug.

Two previous studies have recorded crack cocaine use in Dublin.

A survey in 2003 by Merchants Quay of 100 clients found that 40% had taken crack.

Of those 40 respondents, 20 had bought it as crack rocks, while 16 respondents had washed the cocaine themselves.

Two-thirds said they smoked the crack, while under a third said they injected it.