Ireland fifth for cocaine-related deaths in Europe

Ireland has the fifth-highest number of cocaine-related drug deaths out of 22 European countries, according to a UN report.

The UN’s drugs chief said people snorting cocaine in Europe were destroying the "pristine forests" of the Andes and "corrupting governments" in West Africa.

The World Drug Report 2010 said cocaine use appeared to be concentrated in Europe in six countries, including Ireland.

The report said Ireland was one of three European countries with the greatest increase in drug treatment cases for cocaine since 2002.

But it said Ireland had the most noticeable fall in lifetime cannabis use across Europe since 2003.

The 333-page document, compiled by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, said there were 635 deaths from cocaine in 22 European countries in 2008 (or the latest year available).

Ireland had the fifth-highest rate of drug deaths from cocaine. There were 34 such deaths in 2005, out of 159 drug deaths, accounting for 21% of the total.

The only countries with a higher rate were Spain (60%), Malta (37%), Portugal (33%) and France (21%).

The report showed that Ireland was one of nine European countries that had seizures of cocaine in excess of a tonne. This was due to the hauls of 1.77 tonnes of cocaine in July 2007 and 1.5 tonnes in November 2008.

Spain and Portugal have been the main entry points for cocaine shipments from South America, although France tipped Portugal in 2008 for the first time.

"Cocaine use appears to be concentrated in a few countries in Europe, notably in Spain, the United Kingdom, Italy, Ireland and Denmark, where high cocaine use prevalence rates were observed," said the report.

It said the number of people entering drug treatment with cocaine as their primary drug had increased in Europe for several years.

"Between 2002 and 2007, the largest proportional increases among new clients were reported by Spain, Ireland and Italy," it said, accounting for between 13% and 19% of all cases.

UNODC executive director, Antonio Maria Costa, said: "People snorting cocaine in Europe are killing pristine forests of the Andean countries and corrupting governments in West Africa." West Africa is a major transport hub for South American cocaine into Europe.

The report said use of other drugs, including ecstasy and, in particular, cannabis, had fallen here.

A separate report, also published ahead of the international day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking, said injecting drug use was stabilising across Europe and declining in Western Europe.

The report by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction said Ireland was 16th out of 24 EU countries (well below the average) for current and past injecting drug use.

It found the Netherlands had one of the lowest rates.

Source: Cormac O'Keefe, The Irish Examiner, 25/06/2010