Ireland is facing a ‘cocaine crisis’ after the Covid-19 pandemic as health researchers and criminologists predict more people are turning to drugs to cope with unemployment and mental health issues.
Rehab centres have seen a surge in people seeking help for cocaine addiction during lockdown as concerns grow about the impact on local communities. James Leonard, a youth support officer with the Cork Education and Training Board, told the Irish Independent that cocaine use among young people is a ‘major issue’ at the moment.
“In terms of my own research, we went around and did area profiles in Cork to find out the different issues, and cocaine use among young people and parents was one of the biggest problems,” he said.
“In certain communities where the GAA or rugby team may be the pinnacle of the community, we found that cocaine use was very prevalent among sporting role models who young people there looked up to and this was having a big impact on drug use.”
Source: Amy Molloy, Irish Independent, 25th January 2021
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