Drug clinic signals rise in cocaine users

Ireland’s main drug addiction treatment clinic has signalled an "alarming" rise in the number of people using cocaine.

The Rutland Centre in Dublin said 10% of people attending its abstinence programme are cocaine users.

It blamed the rising popularity of the drug partly on Ireland’s growing prosperity.

Stephen Rowen, the centre’s director, said they now see around 15 to 20 people a year with cocaine problems.