Crack cocaine in the Dublin region - Health Research Board

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also offers potential to trace supply routes and to link drug dealers. Data on crackprices was sought from research participants.Seizures of heroin, cocaine and amphetamines by gardaí and by Customs officialsare analysed and quantified at the Forensic Science Laboratory of the Departmentof Justice. By ‘analysed’, scientists mean the samples are tested for the presence ofan illicit substance; by ‘quantified’, scientists mean that the percentage purity of thesample is identified. Purity is a concept which arises where there is a question ofadulteration or dilution of an otherwise pure substance. However, drug purity testingis not routinely undertaken by the Forensic Science Laboratory (Connolly 2005; GNDU,personal communication, May 2008).Secondary research dataData from previous studies and surveys are useful indicators of the prevalence of crackuse in Dublin. These studies include the general population survey on drug use (NACDand DAIRU 2008), research estimating the prevalence of drug use among homelesspeople (Lawless and Corr 2005), a study examining the nature and extent of drug useamong the Traveller population (Fountain 2006), the Research Outcome Study (ROSIE)(Cox et al’. 2006), the pilot report from the National Drug Trend Monitoring System(NACD 2007a) and data from the CityWide Drugs Crisis Campaign study on cocaine usein Dublin communities (CityWide 2006; CityWide 2004).1.5 Ethical proceduresEthical approval for this study was received from the Drug Treatment Centre Boardon 14 August 2007. The principle of ‘informed consent’ was followed throughout theresearch, and confidentiality and anonymity were afforded to all participants. Althoughthe research was focused on LDTF areas, the precise locations in which certainresearch findings were made are concealed in some cases in order to preserve theanonymity of an individual respondent, or to prevent the specific site from developinga reputation as a drug market. 101.6 Data limitationsThere are a number of limitations to the data available for this study.With respect to the in-depth interviews and focus groups, the researchers were unableto locate any young crack users for interview, and were dependent on the user andservice providers’ reports to describe this group.10 The concern with consolidating a reputation does not arise in the case of LDTF areas. LDTFs wereestablished in these areas due to the presence of serious drug problems.Crack cocaine in the Dublin region: an evidence base for a crack cocaine strategy29
With regard to ‘previously treated cases’ in the NDTRS data, there is a possibility thatindividuals appear more than once in the database: for example, where a personreceives treatment at more than one centre. In addition, the return forms in relationto the majority of cases of cocaine use reported to the NDTRS did not specify the typeof cocaine used. Of the 2,955 reported cases in the three years 2004 to 2006, almostthree-quarters (74%, 2,197) did not provide this information. Of the 790 cases who dididentify the type of cocaine used, 655 (83%) used powder cocaine, and 135 (17%) usedcrack cocaine. It is important that service providers ask cocaine users to specify thetype of cocaine used and how they use it, so that clients’ care plans can address crackuse and to also allow the NDTRS to obtain a more complete record of cocaine use inIreland.Because the seizure data provided by Garda authorities relates to a particular operationin the North Central Garda Division, they are of limited value as an indicator of crackavailability throughout Dublin. Garda authorities have highlighted several difficultiesin reporting crack seizures accurately. For example, seizures of powder cocaine thatare intended to be manufactured into crack cocaine are reported as ‘powder cocaineseizures’. As noted above, drug purity testing is not routinely undertaken by theForensic Science Laboratory. Had they been available, the results of forensic analysis ofpossible crack cocaine seizures would have been useful to this study.1.7 Format of this reportThis report is divided into five parts. Part 1 includes the introduction. Part 2 (Sections2–5) reviews the emergence and current extent of crack cocaine in the Dublinregion, describes the market for crack, and profiles crack users and the patterns andmethods of crack use. Part 3 (Sections 6–8) considers the criminal, social and healthconsequences of crack use. Part 4 (Sections 9–11) looks at current treatment andpolicing responses to crack use. Each section of the report begins with a brief overviewof the topics to be covered. The introduction to each section considers the mainfindings of the international literature on the subject. We then present the findings ofthe present research and conclude each section with a list of the key findings. In Part5 (Section 11) these key findings are discussed and their implications in terms of thedevelopment of a strategic response to crack cocaine are considered. This discussionshould be considered in conjunction with Appendices A and B which provide a briefreview of evidence-based practices in the areas of treatment and policing respectively.30 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 18 and 19: Executive summaryBackground and stu
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 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
Page 68 and 69: Part 3Consequences of crack useCrac
Page 70 and 71: etween heroin, cocaine and crime. T
Page 72 and 73: So, they would talk about the kind
Page 74 and 75: Crack and prostitutionNine services
Page 76 and 77: On the other hand, reports from two
Page 78 and 79: 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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