The number of people addicted to cocaine has risen sharply since 2002, according to a new report by the Health Research Board.
The report was based on a study of drug addiction treatment trends from 2002 to 2007.
The Health Research Board report claims there has been a 177 per cent increase in cocaine addiction treatment in the five years leading up to 2007, although this started from a low base.
One-fifth (10,764) of all cases treated for problem drug use between 2002 and 2007 reported cocaine as a problem substance. from 954 in 2002 to 2,643 in 2007.
This increase was in line with increases in cocaine seizures, in cocaine use among the general population and in cocaine-related deaths during the same time period.
The research of heroin and cocaine treatment pinpoints the midlands, southeast and northeast as the areas facing the greatest problems.
In Dublin, the heroin problem has reached saturation point, according to experts.
Heroin addiction treatment cases increased by 31 per cent, the Health Research Board also found.
Despite the huge increase in cocaine use in recent years, experts predict heroin addiction will further increase in the future as a result of economic difficulties.
The number of cases who reported cocaine as their main problem substance increased by 502 per cent, from 128 in 2002 to 770 in 2007. The number of cases who reported cocaine as an additional problem substance increased by 128%, from 826 in 2002 to 1,885 in 2007.
The average annual incidence of treated problem cocaine use for the period 2002–2007 was highest in Wexford, Louth, Waterford and Carlow (with over 15 cases per 100,000 of the 15–64-year-old population), followed by Cork, Cavan, Limerick, Kildare and Meath (with between 10 and 13 cases per 100,000).
The incidence was lowest in counties located mainly in the west and north-west of the country (with between 2 and 4 cases per 100,000).
The incidence was lower than expected in Dublin due to the fact than many problem cocaine users in Dublin also used opiates; in such cases the opiate is recorded as the main problem substance and cocaine as an additional problem substance.