Crack cocaine in the Dublin region - Health Research Board

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Executive summaryBackground and study designCrack cocaine is produced from powder cocaine using readily available chemicalagents such as ammonia or baking soda. Smoking crack is a highly efficient way ofgetting cocaine into the brain, making its use compulsive and difficult to control insome cases. In early 2005, a number of seizures of crack cocaine were made by AnGarda Síochána in Dublin’s north-inner city. In addition, there were anecdotal reportsof individuals using crack cocaine in Dublin. As a result, the Intersectoral CrackCocaine Strategy Group (ISCCSG) was established in the north-inner city in March 2006.The group decided to document the nature and extent of crack use; the availabilityof crack; the impact of crack on the user, the family and the wider community; andcurrent treatment and policing responses to crack use.The Alcohol and Drug Research Unit (ADRU) of the Health Research Board (HRB) wascommissioned to complete the study using a rapid situation assessment method. Thestudy involved a review of findings from relevant research, the collection and analysisof up-to-date drug-treatment and criminal justice data, and interviews and focusgroups with crack users, service providers and the Garda National Drugs Unit. Thestudy received ethical approval in August 2007.The key findings are presented in the following paragraphs.Nature and extent of crack useSome Dublin-based drug-treatment services have been aware of small numbersof clients using crack since the late 1990s, but the number of cases presenting fortreatment began to reach double figures in 2003. Since 2004, treatment services inevery local drugs task force area in Dublin have reported at least one case of crackcocaine use among their clients. A number of factors may explain the emergence ofcrack cocaine. These include the increased availability of powder cocaine; the presenceof problematic opiate users who have previously used crack cocaine in the UK orelsewhere in Europe and have returned to using crack cocaine while living in Dublin;and the presence of non-Irish nationals who have access to cocaine supply routes,possibly in West Africa, and who have experience in preparing crack cocaine. Crackcocaine users represent 1% of treated problem drug users and 0.1% of the generalpopulation in 2006/7.Crack cocaine in the Dublin region: an evidence base for a crack cocaine strategy17
Social profile and consequences of crackA high proportion of crack cocaine users are homeless, unemployed and do not haveformal educational qualifications. The lifestyles of most crack users appear to be toochaotic to sustain a legitimate source of income. According to collated data fromtreatment services, the majority of crack users were male and half were aged between20 and 29 years. It is reported that females involved in sex work and single mothersdevelop the most chaotic crack addiction. A number of service providers reported thata proportion of crack cocaine users may be young people who binge on crack but donot engage with treatment services. Compulsive crack users reported neglecting theirchildren, often diverting their financial resources towards buying crack. Given the highprice of crack, users can acquire debts very quickly and, if left unpaid, these debts canlead to intimidation from crack dealers. Intimidation may be directed not only at theusers themselves but also at their parents or other family members.Drug-using characteristics of crack usersThe vast majority of cases used more than one drug; opiates (mainly heroin) werethe most common drugs used alongside crack. Smoking was the predominant modeof administration of crack. A proportion of intravenous powder cocaine users madea transition from injecting powder cocaine to smoking crack cocaine because of thephysical harms of injecting. Frequency of use varied from a daily habit to a weeklyhabit. However, the majority of current crack users participating in the study reportedthat they would use more crack if they had greater financial resources available tothem. Almost two-fifths (37%) of new crack cases entering treatment had commencedits use before the age of 20.Health consequences of crack useThe most common physical side effects of crack use were breathing problems, heartproblems and rapid weight loss, and the most common psychological consequenceswere paranoia, aggressiveness and depression.Dublin crack marketDespite targeted Garda operations in 2005/2006, the north-inner city remains theprimary crack market in Dublin. This market is dominated by non-Irish national dealerswho reportedly import small amounts of cocaine via couriers. A growing number of localIrish dealers are reportedly involved in the distribution of crack throughout the Dublinregion and prepared crack has been purchased throughout the city since 2006. Findingsindicate that current crack markets operating in Dublin are closed markets, that is,dealers do not sell drugs to strangers, exchanges are normally arranged using a mobile18 Crack cocaine in the Dublin region: an evidence base for a crack cocaine strategy
Page 1 and 2: HRB Research Series6Crack cocaine i
Page 3 and 4: This publication should be cited as
Page 5 and 6: HRB Research Series publicationsto
Page 8 and 9: ContentsList of tables and figures
Page 10 and 11: 7 Social consequences of crack use
Page 12 and 13: List of tables and figuresTablesTab
Page 14 and 15: AbbreviationsADRUGNDUHRBISCCSGLDTFN
Page 16 and 17: Glossary of termsBenzos: The street
Page 20 and 21: phone and buyers are directed to sp
Page 22 and 23: Part 1IntroductionCrack cocaine in
Page 24 and 25: In the light of these concerns, it
Page 26 and 27: extensive reporting in the US about
Page 28 and 29: Ten interviews were conducted with
Page 30 and 31: also offers potential to trace supp
Page 32 and 33: Part 2Crack cocaine in the Dublin r
Page 34 and 35: 2.2 Criminal justice data - cocaine
Page 36 and 37: Prevalence of crack use among homel
Page 38 and 39: Local survey dataA survey in 2006 o
Page 40 and 41: Respondent 1: I’d say it’s stil
Page 42 and 43: 3 Dublin crack cocaine market3.0 Ov
Page 44 and 45: sold on the street for as little as
Page 46 and 47: Like, I was down on M… Street in
Page 48 and 49: 3.4 Marketing crackFour interviewee
Page 50 and 51: While crack was generally bought al
Page 52 and 53: • Although a number of dealers, o
Page 54 and 55: 4.2 Crack use and genderAccording t
Page 56 and 57: From about 16 to 21 I would say - t
Page 58 and 59: Table 4.4Number of new cases who li
Page 60 and 61: 5.2 Crack and other drugsMany of th
Page 62 and 63: Whether treated cases reported crac
Page 64 and 65: cases of intravenous cocaine use, t
Page 66 and 67: Table 5.5Number (%) of new cases wh
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Part 3Consequences of crack useCrac
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etween heroin, cocaine and crime. T
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So, they would talk about the kind
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Crack and prostitutionNine services
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On the other hand, reports from two
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often with a prevalence of opiate d
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The data provided by the NDTRS in S
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But you know it would be about kind
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So, debt is another significant iss
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7.6 Key findings• A significant p
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There are considerable long-term ps
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8.3 Psychological consequences of c
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9 Treating crack use9.0 OverviewIn
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Some services were in a position to
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Both opiate-dependent and non-opiat
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• more outreach work to identify
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10 Policing crack markets10.0 Overv
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local communities. There is growing
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He’d know me, I’d know him, you
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Table 10.1 Number of new cases who
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108 Crack cocaine in the Dublin reg
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11 Discussion and research implicat
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11.2 Responding to crack markets an
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11.3 Reducing the harm that crack c
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Shoplifting, burglary and robbery w
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Bourgois P (2003b) Crack and the po
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Furey M and Browne C (2004) Opiate
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Loughran H and McCann ME (2006) A c
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San Diego Police Department (1998)
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Appendix A:An evidence base for tre
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note that providing information on
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MedicationsA number of studies have
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interpersonal psychotherapy. Americ
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Jurisdiction Intervention/Descripti
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Jurisdiction Intervention/Descripti
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Appendix C:Recent HRB series public
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140 Crack cocaine in the Dublin reg
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Crack cocaine in the Dublin region - Health Research Board

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