Cocaine: Occasional users on the rise

THERE has been a significant rise in cocaine use in recent years, a leading population survey is expected to reveal today.

The rise in the number of people experimenting with the drug, while not entirely surprising, will bolster calls for government action to tackle the growing problem.

The 2006/2007 Drug Prevalence Survey, commissioned by the National Advisory Committee on Drugs, is a five-year follow-on report to the first population survey in 2002/2003.