ALERT: 400% increase in women hooked on 'Ireland's problem drug' cocaine

There has been a significant increase in drug treatment cases in Ireland with cocaine being Ireland's most common drug used.

One in five cases of people using powder cocaine were female, 39% were employed and the median age entering treatment was 32 years of age.

However where crack cocaine was the main problem drug, almost half were female, 7% were employed and the median age entering treatment was 40.

13,295 people were treated for problem drug use altogether in Ireland last year, which is the highest annual number recorded to date.

Cocaine remains Ireland’s most common drug treated (excluding alcohol) and accounts for 40% of all drug treatment cases in 2024.

The second most common drug in Ireland is opioids, mainly heroin, and the third most common drug treated was cannabis.

Since 2017 there has been a 250% increase in cases receiving treatment for cocaine as their main problem drug.

There has been a 300% increase in people returning for cocaine treatment as their main problem drug from 692 cases in 2017, to 2,764 cases in 2024.

The number of females seeking treatment for cocaine has risen 426%, an increase from 284 cases in 2017 to 1,494 cases in 2024, new research says.

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Last year cannabis was the main problem drug for cases aged 19 years or under, whereas cocaine was the main problem drug for cases aged 20-44 years and opioids were the main problem drugs for cases aged 45 years or over.

This highlights an ageing cohort of opioid users continuing to require treatment, research says.

The most common drugs used together in Ireland last year were cocaine plus alcohol, followed by cocaine plus cannabis, followed by opioids plus cocaine.

Dr Suzi Lyons, Senior Researcher at the HRB, said: “Looking at cocaine treatment over time reveals some important trends that can inform drug treatment provision. For example, the rise in previously treated cases indicates sustained use of cocaine and may also explain an increase in the age group seeking treatment for cocaine from 20-39 years in 2023, to 20-44 years in 2024.”

Identifying trends like this allows service planners to better understand demand and ultimately put targeted measures in place to reduce the harmful effects of drug use for people who are caught in addiction, their families and society.”

The research can be found here.