In the 'Young People and Drugs' survey conducted last May among 15- to 24-year-olds across the 27 EU member states, 24% of those surveyed in Ireland said it was 'very easy' to get cocaine and 26% to get ecstasy.
This is the highest among the 27 countries surveyed and more than twice the average across the EU, which was 11% for cocaine and 12% for ecstasy.
The research comes after a HSE survey released last week showed an increase in the number of people in the south-east seeking treatment for cocaine and heroin abuse.
And young Irish people are more enthusiastic than all other Europeans about the legalisation of drugs, with 22% of young Irish backing it as the most effective way to combat the drug problem.
Though a minority, this is the highest across the EU and almost twice the EU average of 13%.
According to the survey, another 33% of young Irish people found it 'fairly easy' to get hold of cocaine, which means that overall 57% found cocaine easy to secure, well above the EU average of 33%. Another 35% found it 'fairly easy' to get hold of ecstasy.
While access to the harder drug heroin is obviously not as easy, Irish people are again above the EU average with 11% of Irish youths saying it is 'very easy' to get and 19% saying it is 'fairly easy' – a combined total of 40%. This compares to an EU average of 7% and 16%, respectively, or a total of 23%.
Access to cannabis is the easiest of all, with 45% of young Irish people saying it was 'very easy' and a further 32% saying it was 'fairly easy' meaning that 77% find cannabis easy to source. This is also above the EU average of 32% (very easy) and 31% (fairly easy) or a total of 62%.
In terms of access to alcohol, which cannot be sold to under-18s, Irish youths again top the league, with 87% saying it was 'very easy' to access and 10% saying it was 'fairly easy', a total of 97%.
Asked about effective ways to fight drugs, just 50% agreed that 'tough measures should be taken against drug dealers and traffickers', the second-lowest across the 27 countries surveyed and just ahead of the UK (48%).
Instead, 42% of the Irish backed 'rehabilitation of drug users', the second-highest across the EU and well ahead of the EU average of 33%.
Source: Martin Frawley, Sunday Tribune, 31/08/2008
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