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THERE HAS BEEN an increase in the number of people presenting to Coolmine Therapeutic Centres seeking rehabilitation services for cocaine usage, the group’s annual report revealed.
In total, 57% of all men who presented to the service last year were seeking treatment and support to combat their cocaine addiction.
This led to Coolmine establishing two cocaine-specific treatment centres in Dublin and in Cork due to the high number of people on waiting lists, the service said.
Coolmine’s report matches national statistics from research conducted by the Health Research Board, as there was a 25% increase in individual supports within their services compared to 2021.
A surge in the number of people presenting with cocaine addiction was paired with rising homelessness figures in the state, which Coolmine Chief Executive Pauline McKeown said led to the cohort being most affected.
“From Coolmine’s perspective, this surge in cocaine addiction represents a dangerous situation, especially for the most vulnerable individuals in society,” she said.
She added that “various factors contribute to this increase, including societal pressures, economic challenges, and evolving social dynamics”.
McKeown said Coolmine, similar to other organisations, are addressing these factors by expanding its specialised programmes and collaborating with other services to meet the growing demand for rehabilitation and treatment.
This collaboration began last year where the service to expanded its support to 382 homeless people who are now living in private emergency accommodation, with the HSE and Dublin Regional Homeless Executive.
Coolmine, in total, provided 2,362 individuals and their families with support in 2022. Of the 908 people who sought support from the service’s Dublin facility, Coolmine House, over 10% (93) of them were participants on the stabilisation and cocaine programmes.
Alan Connolly Coolmine Chairman said as the service enters its fiftieth year, it is aware of the increase in the number of people experiencing problematic substance use.
Last year, the service treated people in 15 facilities and 22 different satellite clinics.
The Drug Treatment Demand report from earlier this year found a 259% increase in the number of cases in the last seven years, in which a person was treated for drug-related issues and where cocaine was the main problem drug they used.
The report, published by the Health Research Board, found that there were 12,009 cases of addiction treatment in 2022.
Cocaine was reported as the most common problem drug in more than 4,000 of these cases, and was followed by opioids (mainly heroin), then cannabis and benzodiazepines.
This was the first time where cocaine had overtaken opioids as the most common drug used in Ireland.
In total, 45% of the 4,084 cases involving cocaine were cases where the person was receiving treatment for a cocaine addiction for the first time.
Also this year Dr Joe Harbison, a stroke doctor at St James’ Hospital Dublin and associate professor at Trinity College, told The Journal that the public is largely unaware of how much drug usage can increase the risk of a stroke.
This was after it was revealed that cocaine-induced strokes were on the rise.
Additional reporting by Jamie McCarron
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If only they were so quick with Islamic state material..
@Eóghain Pádraig MacEochagáin: they are trying. It’s difficult, like here for example, when someone consistently spouts hateful rhetoric they get deleted only to come back under a different name. Their is worth a read: https://www.wired.com/2015/11/facebook-and-twitter-face-tough-choices-as-isis-exploits-social-media/
@Eóghain Pádraig MacEochagáin: That’s racist you know….
They say that on TV.
@Dave O Keeffe: like tony daly to mic
This is a start, now start banning pro Islamic state sites in the name of equality & safety.
@Matt Donovan: That has been happening across twitter, facebook & youtube for 2 years now
@Matt Donovan: You do know that they actually jail the people who run ISIS sites?
This is a more logical move to prevent the spread of a phoney and dangerous belief than removing historic statues which were placed there for different reasons at the time and are now part of history and heritage.
@winston smith: yeah leave the statues of the men who believed black people and their children should property of white men because they were superior least the black people today forget about what happened to their ancestors in their millions. The white men today might also get a bit upset.
No Deborah, there was a war of attrition, the reasoning is always blurred, but these generals fought for their people at the time and in appreciation the statues were erected in their honor. I don’t particularly appreciate the many statues of the virgin Mary/Jesus dotted around the country, mostly without planning, but I wouldn’t ask for their removal despite the many crimes committed by the church.
@Deborah Behan: so George Washington and the other slave owning founding fathers?
@Deborah Behan: Oh yeah, so why does nobody have a problem with monuments to the Founding Fathers, many of whom were themselves slave owners?
@Jason Power: Beat me to it!
@winston smith: The statues were not erected “at the time”, they went up in three waves.
The first at the time the Jim Crow laws were being enacted and during the “strange fruit” lynchings.. 1886–1920
Then at the time of widespread American naziism during the 1930′s and 40,s.
Then during the civil rights era from 1955-65.
The statues went up to glorify white supremecists like Lee because they stood for segregation and believed blacks were inferior.
Do some learning its handy.
Mr. O Sullivan, you need to read what’s in front of you… these generals fought for their people ‘at the time’…I never said the statues were erected ‘at the time’…that would be silly really without even reading up on it…defeated and subjugated people aren’t in a position to erect statues to their fallen leaders… this would obviously follow after a period and when confidence returned.
@Harry Whitehead: The founding fathers who owned slaves did not fight to uphold slavery, in fact many of them fought against slavery ferociously.
Remember that this was a time in history where as a rich man you could inherit many slaves and emancipating them was very difficult.
There is a *clear* distinction between people like Jefferson and Washington who were abolitionists at heart and someone like Lee, who thought slavery was necessary, and whose forces enslaved free blacks during settlement raids with his knowledge.
@winston smith: Oh so you didn’t write the following,
“This is a more logical move to prevent the spread of a phoney and dangerous belief than removing historic statues which were placed there for different reasons at the time and are now part of history and heritage”
I call you a liar….
@Deborah Behan: Leave the statues, change the narrative on the plaque.
Deleting accounts won’t help, they’ll just use it as argument that the left is imposing censorship which technically it is.
@Shawn O’Ceallaghan: no if you abide by the rules you get to use the service. If you break the rules you don’t. It’s not hard to understand.
@Shawn O’Ceallaghan: it’s not censorship, it’s abiding by the terms and conditions.
@Deborah Behan: so censorship.
@Shawn O’Ceallaghan: Racism and child porn should be censored.
@Ron North: *Racists and peadophiles would be a better way to phrase it.
Great news, maybe The Journal could adopt a more robust approach to racist commenters who persistently incite hatred.
@Atheos Euripides: LOL….Well if that happens you will be at the top of that list, you Christophobe and Jihadi lover. As Racism, Antisemitism and Bigotry are core principles of these groups
@Atheos Euripides: I second that, time for a cleanup.
Trump should banned from twitter
Removing Islamic state arrahh!!
They have such good ratings. Doesn’t everybody wants to see * being chopped off? I couldn’t imagine a sitcom evening without a nice long monologue detailing the glories of joining up or checking out the newest products on the suicide belt market. And the best part – all those virgins waiting around the corner… in paradise
Healy rae next
Too many people using Irish names on the journal and not Irish.
@realDonaldTrump is still active? It must a be work in progress.
@⚡ Seánie ⚡:
Trump is probably one of the few reasons why Twitter hasn’t died yet. Their growth in active users has completely stopped which is a terrible sign for a social media platform.
@Thought for Food: says you…. Using your twitter account.
have your say