Cocaine use doubles in Ireland, survey reveals

NEARLY 60,000 people have taken cocaine within the last year — more that twice the number of people in 2003, according to a population survey published yesterday.

An analysis of the survey shows that 15,000 people took the drug within the last month, nearly double the number five years ago.

A total of 700,000 people between the ages of 15 and 64 — almost a third of that age group — have taken a drug at some stage in their lives. This compares with 500,000 people in 2003.

The Drug Prevalence Survey for 2006/2007 reports significant increases in percentage terms in drug use since the last survey in 2002/2003 (see graphic).

But the actual number of people taking drugs has increased even more because of the rise in the population since 2003. The number of people aged 15-64 was about 2.9 million in the 2006 census, compared with 2.6 million in the 2002 census.

An analysis of the 2007 survey to the 2003 survey shows:

* 145,000 people have taken cocaine in their life, compared with 79,000 in 2003 (a rise of 83%).

* 58,000 people have used cocaine within the last year, compared with 27,000 in 2003 (a rise of 115%).

* 15,000 people have taken cocaine in the last month, compared with around 8,000 in 2003 (a 90% jump).

Cocaine is the only drug that has reported sharp increases in use across all three time periods.

In relation to current use (use within the last month), all other drugs report either a minor increase (cannabis), no change (ecstasy) or a drop in usage (amphetamine).

The report, commissioned by the National Advisory Committee on Drugs (NACD), shows that about 640,000 people have taken cannabis at least once in the course of their lives. That’s a rise of 42% since 2003, when the figure was 450,000 people.

Of the 2007 figure, 390,000 are in the 15-34 year age group.

According to the 2007 survey, 145,000 people have taken ecstasy (the same number as cocaine) in their lives, a 27% rise on 2003.

The rise was greater among 15-34 year olds, with a jump of almost 40%, to 122,000 people.

The biggest rise after cocaine was for magic mushrooms, with a 64% increase on 2003, to 174,000 people, 110,000 in the younger aged bracket.

In relation to recent use, amphetamine, ecstasy and magic mushrooms all report no change.

Cannabis use continued to grow, with 174,000 people admitting to using it within the last year (133,000 in 2003).

Cocaine use rose sharply to 58,000, including 41,000 in the younger age group.

NACD chairman Dr Des Corrigan said the survey data in relation to heroin use could not be relied upon. He said population surveys, both here and worldwide, did not pick up on heroin users, as many live a chaotic lifestyle. He said a forthcoming report would provide updated information on the number of heroin users, which last stood at about 15,000.

NACD director Máiréad Lyons said the survey data puts us in fourth place out of 19 selected EU countries for lifetime and last year cocaine use across both the 15-64 and 15-34 year-old age groups.

The comparison shows Ireland is in third or fourth position for ecstasy use and just above mid-table for cannabis use.

* See www.nacd.ie for full survey results.