Alcohol remains drug of choice on Leeside

Alcohol remains the primary substance Cork residents are seeking addiction support for, according to data released last week by Coolmine Therapeutic Community (CTC).

CTC is a drug and alcohol treatment service which operates nationwide.

The service has given support to 409 people in the South-West region since the beginning of 2026.

Of those seeking addiction treatment, 52% were struggling with alcohol.

Cocaine was the next most common substance, with 27% of people presenting with addiction issues, followed by cannabis at 12%, benzodiazepines at 7%, and heroin at 3%.

The majority of those who presented - 60% - were men. CTC said that it has assisted 31 families since the start of the year, including giving family support.

There were also 15 children who have been given support.

Traveller-specific support, such as the Genio programme for Traveller women, helped 23 people.

Genio is a programme which aims to improve access to healthcare for women from marginalised communities who are at risk of exclusion or homelessness, including Traveller and Roma women.

Trends in the South-West region are broadly reflective of the rest of the country. Nationally, the service has seen 1,328 people since the start of 2026, which is broadly consistent with the same period in 2025.

Male clients accounted for 60% of presentations, which is a 6% increase year-on-year, with women making up the other 40%.

Demand is highest in the east of the country, where 794 people were supported, while the lowest is in the Mid-West, at 125.

Nationally, alcohol is the highest drug of choice - 40% of cases - but at a lower level than in the South-West region specifically.

Cocaine

By contrast, cocaine stands at a higher rate nationally than it does in the South-West - 35% - which is seeing a 5% increase year-on-year. This trend is most pronounced in the Mid-West, where it rose from 31% in 2025 to 44% in 2026, primarily among women.

CTC said that cocaine is becoming increasingly common among female clients nationally, which it said challenged “traditional assumptions about substance use demographics”.

Pauline McKeown, CEO of CTC said that the figures indicated a clear shift in the nature of addiction in Ireland. “The rise in cocaine use, particularly among women and in regions where it was previously less common, is deeply concerning. It highlights how widespread and normalised cocaine has become across our communities.

“At the same time, the significant growth in family support shows that when we invest in accessible, holistic services, we can reach not just individuals, but entire families impacted by addiction,” she said.

She emphasised that early intervention, whole-family support, and community-based care will remain central to addressing Ireland’s evolving addiction challenges.