New figures reveal high demand in Cork for addiction services

NEW figures have shown an increasing number of people with issues around cocaine use accessing addiction services in Cork, with the majority being young people.

Data released by the Coolmine Therapeutic Community has shown that 1,079 people accessed Coolmine’s Cork services in 2023, a significant increase from 843 in 2022.

In 2023, there was a gender breakdown of 68% male to 32% female.

A spokesperson for Coolmine told The Echo: “Women are more likely than men to present for treatment with depressant drugs, namely heroin, benzodiazepine, or alcohol, while the main drugs men are presenting with is cocaine, with alcohol and cannabis being the secondary drugs (38%).”

“45% of all treatment episodes with women were alcohol related compared to 55% of all men. Men presenting for alcohol treatment are still outweighing women but not by much, which can demonstrate that more women are presenting for treatment.”

Alcohol dependency

Support for alcohol dependency continued to be the main treatment provided, with 46% of cases presenting for alcohol related addiction issues, but there was an increase in people treated for cocaine use - 23% of people presenting for treatment in 2023, up from 18% in 2022.

The majority of these are young people, the spokesperson said, explaining: “32% of all persons presenting were under the age of 24, and a further 29% were under the age of 29.

“In total 61% of all persons presenting for cocaine treatment were under the age of 29,” they said, adding thatcrack cocaine had “an older cohort” than powder cocaine.

Treatment

Most of the people presenting for cocaine treatment say it is the only problem, with just 38% of the people presenting to treatment for cocaine listing alcohol as an equally problematic drug. However, these numbers increase when someone gets into treatment and looks at their alcohol intake and its consequences.

The spoksperson said that the young age of people presenting with cocaine issues was “a worrying trend,” adding that many are using it “for social reasons”, and that it can be particularly hard for young people to consider abstinence.

In response to this rising trend in figures for cocaine in the region, Coolmine has initiated a new 21 week ‘Road to Recovery’ cocaine programme in the Cork region, which takes a lifestyle approach to recovery and builds in psychoeducation, physical education and social support.

Reflecting on the trends seen in Cork during 2023, Coolmine Southwest manager Brian Duncan said: “I would encourage anyone facing addiction to seek out Coolmine’s supports. Support is available and it’s never too late to turn things around.

“Our clients are real people who have rebuilt relationships with their children and families. Their lives are healthier than they have been for many years and the future is exciting with positive work, training, education and career pathways ahead.”