Cocaine addiction steadily rising

Alcohol is still the number one reason behind people accessing addiction services in Cork, although cocaine is closing the gap.

That’s according to the latest regional report carried out by national addiction treatment service, Coolmine Therapeutic Community.

The service, which operates six sites across Cork, found that alcohol remains the primary drug of choice for 53% of clients accessing its Southwest services, which also includes one site in Kerry.

However, the report found that powder cocaine now accounts for almost one in four presentations (24%), reflecting a continuing shift in addiction patterns across the region, while crack cocaine remains comparatively low in the Southwest at just 2% of presentations.

There is continued demand for addiction treatment and recovery support across Cork and Kerry, with growing numbers of individuals and families accessing community-based services throughout the first half of the year.

While client retention across Southwest services remains strong, averaging 75% during Q2, Coolmine says the figures reinforce the importance of ensuring people receive ongoing support throughout their recovery journey.

Stephen Cashman, regional services manager of Coolmine Therapeutic Community, said the service is seeing more and more people presenting for cocaine addiction treatment.

He said: “Alcohol continues to have a devastating impact on individuals and families across Cork and Kerry, but we are also seeing cocaine become increasingly common among those seeking treatment. These findings highlight how addiction is changing, and why services must continue to adapt to meet the needs of the communities we support."

Anita Harris, deputy head of services at Coolmine Therapeutic Community, said the continued growth in cocaine presentations demonstrates that no community is immune to changing drug trends.

“Early intervention and accessible local services remain essential if we are to prevent addiction from escalating,” said Ms Harris.

Coolmine plans to continue to strengthen its community-based addiction services, family supports, and recovery programmes across Cork and Kerry as demand continues.

Coolmine provides a range of community and residential services across Ireland designed to empower people and their families to overcome addiction and support long term recovery.

The service operates three sites in Cork city, and three across the county.