Three times more cocaine use in Republic

There are almost three times more regular cocaine users in the Republic than in the North, a survey said today.

An all-island poll found that nearly one in five people south of the border used the drug regularly, compared with only 7% in the North.

Of those surveyed in the Republic, 3% admitted to trying cocaine at least once in their lifetimes, almost double the 1.6% proportion in the North.

Two thirds of people in Ireland who described themselves as recent users said it was fairly easy or very easy to obtain the drug within a 24-hour period, compared to only 43% in the North.

The survey was published jointly today by the National Advisory Committee on Drugs in Dublin and the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in Belfast.

It was carried out among 15-to-64-year-olds between October 2002 and April 2003. Another, more sophisticated poll is planned for later this year.

NACD chairman Dr Des Corrigan said in Dublin at the survey’s launch that cocaine’s image as a clean, pure drug was a dangerous myth.

“This image is a nonsense. We know from our colleagues in the forensic science laboratory that the cocaine on the streets in Dublin is only about one-third pure and can be mixed with any one of a range of harmful substances.

“It is anything but a pure, clean drug.”

Junior Government Minister Noel Ahern accepted that the data from the survey is already out of date as cocaine use has increased since 2002/2003.

“Given current Garda statistics and the number of drug seizures, I would accept this,” he said.

The minister said the survey proved that cocaine was becoming the drug of choice for many young people.

He said a multi-media cocaine awareness campaign, managed by the Health Promotion Unit, was targeting 18-to-35-year-olds.

“Furthermore, substance misuse prevention programmes are now on all school curricula throughout the country,” he added.