Alcohol main reason for drug helpline calls, followed by cocaine 

"Alcohol remains our most referred to substance of concern, followed by cocaine and cannabis," report said.

Alcohol is by far the main substance people are contacting a dedicated HSE drug helpline about, new figures show.

The number of contacts, either by phone or by email, about alcohol grew by 9% last year and accounted for 45% of all contacts to the HSE Drugs and Alcohol Helpline.

Cocaine is the next most common reason that people are reaching out to the service, with a 18% jump in contacts last year.

Cannabis was the third main drug reported, though the number of contacts fell last year by 6%. Young people, under the age of 20, constitute the biggest age group contacting the service in relation to cannabis.

The HSE helpline report for 2022 shows the total number of contacts rose from 5,268 in 2021 to 5,412 in 2022. Further figures show:

• Alcohol contacts have increased sharply since 2017, from about 780, to over 2,100 in 2019, before reaching 2,220 in 2021 and 2,411 in 2022;
• Cocaine contacts also increased significantly since 2017, from about 300, to about 910 in 2019, dropping over the following two years, to 834 in 2021, before increasing again in 2022, to 981;
• Cannabis contacts increased at a slower rate since 2017, from about 400, to a height of 677 in 2019, before falling over the following three years, to 592 in 2022 

“Alcohol remains our most referred to substance of concern, followed by cocaine and cannabis,” said the report.

The report said one in six alcohol-related contacts used cocaine at the same time, with the number jumping four-fold since 2017, from 109 contacts to 468 in 2022.

Cocaine and alcohol used together combine to create a chemical called “cocaethylene”, which, according the HSE, “puts increased strain on organs such as the liver and heart” and is “more toxic” than cocaine and alcohol alone.

Analysis of the contacts also provides an insight into the wider impact of alcohol and illegal drugs.

The main psychosocial impact was “relationship break-up”, with almost 300 people citing this.

The next two main effects were anxiety/depression and missing work.

Some 80 people cited aggression and violence, with about 70 people saying they had engaged in self-harm or attempted suicide.

Just over 50 people mentioned child safety concerns and just under 50 people referred to drug-related intimidation.

The report said there were 338 contacts from, or about, a young person in 2022.

Of these, 298 were from a third party, mainly a parent, about a young person aged from 0-20, and 40 were directly from a young person aged 16-20.

For the third party, the main substance of concern was cannabis (57%), followed by cocaine (30%) and alcohol (19%).

Contacts directly from a young person, aged 16-20, shows the main substance of concern was alcohol (45%), followed by cocaine (35%) and cannabis (27.5%).

While the single biggest age category for alcohol contacts was in the 41+ age group, the largest age grouping for cannabis contacts was among those aged under 20, accounting for 31%.

• Helpline freephone 1800 459 459 or email [e-mail]