Steep rise in number of cocaine drug deaths

One-in-10 of the drug-related deaths registered in Ireland over 10 years were due to cocaine, according to a new report.

The annual number of deaths linked to cocaine use went up from five in 1998 to 63 in 2007, the analysis from the Health Research Board shows.

There were 3,465 drug-related deaths in total over that decade and, of these, 2,120 were due to poisoning.

Another 1,345 were due to medical causes such as heart attacks, respiratory infections and liver disease or traumatic events including hanging or road traffic collisions.

Heroin and other opiates, including methadone, were implicated in over half the cases, while prescription and over the counter medication were also used.

The majority of those who died from medical conditions were between 30 and 44 years, while those who lost their lives to trauma were younger, mostly in their twenties.

The poisoning deaths happened among 20 to 40-year-olds and men accounted for seven in 10 of these tragic cases.

Cocaine has long lost its status as the champagne drug and the preferred choice of rock stars and the beautiful people.

It carries serious physical and emotional risks and emergency consultants across the country are seeing young people with acute chest pain, heart attack and stroke linked to cocaine.

Scientists from the Institute for Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in Boston confirmed that the risk of a potentially fatal heart attack increases 24-fold in the first hour after using cocaine.

It can also cause the user's mental health to be destabilised leaving them anxious, restless and paranoid.

Cocaine comes in powder form and can be snorted or rubbed into the gums. Users are attracted to it because they experience an intense feeling of well-being, self-confidence and energy.

A cocaine high doesn't last long -- maybe 20 or 30 minutes -- and can leave the user feeling depressed, tired and paranoid. Because the highs are so short-lived, users tend to end up taking more and more of it.

Cocaine users who seek treatment will not be prescribed substitute drugs such as methadone.

Those who are a heavy or prolonged user may need to have residential treatment.

The best results for recovery come from specialist drugs, counselling and social support. Treatment is provided in mainstream Health Service Executive (HSE) addiction clinics.

The first cocaine-only clinic run by the HSE started in Galway three years ago but "demand was not sufficient" and it was converted into a general addiction treatment centre instead.

Source: Eilish O'Regan, The Irish Independent, 19/07/2010