Crack cocaine in the Dublin region - Health Research Board

More documents

Recommendations

Info

4.2 Crack use and genderAccording to the NDTRS, of the 35 new cases who lived in Dublin and reported crackcocaine as a problem drug between 2004 and 2006, 25 (71.4%) were male. The datafrom ROSIE reported that 75% of the 49 crack users participating in their study weremale (Cox et al. 2006). However, interviews with drug-treatment and social servicespersonnel did not suggest that crack users were predominantly male or female; thegender balance varied from service to service.Several drug-treatment services observed that those who were developing the mostchaotic crack addiction were females involved in sex work and single mothers. Of the31 drug-treatment and social services that participated in the study, 8 reported thatnot only had female former heroin users returned to prostitution to feed a new crackhabit but many of these users had entered prostitution for the first time. One crack userconfirmed that she was currently involved in sex work. Two treatment services reportedthat in their experience females, and particularly single mothers, were more likely todevelop severe crack addictions:The [gender] breakdown would have been always about 50/50 of those using crack andcocaine … but those who developed the really bad problems with crack and with cocaine aresingle parents, single mothers.Canal Communities, drug-treatment service (September 2007)It was the fellas that were slipping to the crack cocaine. I would be well aware of the fellasbut I was more shocked because the girls get on it like … but the difference was you wouldsee the way it devastated her.north-east Dublin, drug-treatment service (September 2007)4.3 Crack use and ageThe data from the NDTRS provide a profile of 35 new cases who lived in Dublin andreported crack cocaine as a problem drug between 2004 and 2006. Over half (51%)were aged between 20 and 29 years at the time they commenced treatment (Table 4.1).Table 4.1Number of new cases who lived in Dublin reported crack cocaine as a problemdrug, by age commenced treatment, as reported to the NDTRS, 2004 to 2006Age commenced treatment, in years Number %10–19 2 5.720–29 18 51.430–39 13 37.140–88 2 5.7Total 35 100.0Crack cocaine in the Dublin region: an evidence base for a crack cocaine strategy53
Views expressed by representatives of individual drug-treatment centres andrepresentatives of the social services interviewed for this study suggest that themajority of crack users known to drug-treatment services are relatively older and havea history of problematic use of a number of drugs, which in most cases includes heroin.It’s not a drug that we have seen spread to the wider community, as I said. There is polydruguse there involved with it and a lot of older addicts who possibly would have been off heroinand on methadone have possibly slipped back into that, you know.north-inner city, Garda memberI suppose the main users that we are seeing coming through using the cocaine and the crackare ex-opiate users and the majority of them would be on maintenance programmes fromthe clinic.Clondalkin, drug-treatment service4.4 Crack use among young peopleWhile a substantial proportion of problematic crack users seeking treatment may beaged 25 years or over, there is evidence that crack is used by younger people. TheNDTRS reports that of the 35 new cases reported between 2004 and 2006, 37% (13) hadbegun using crack cocaine before the age of 20 (Table 4.2).Table 4.2Number (%) of new cases who lived in Dublin and reported crack cocaine as aproblem drug, by age commenced use, as reported to the NDTRS, 2004 to 2006Age commenced use, in years Number %12–19 13 37.120–29 18 51.430–34 1 2.9Not recorded 3 8.6Total 35 100.0A small number of drug-treatment service personnel and crack users reportedanecdotal or second-hand evidence of use among young people. In one area, peoplein their mid- to late-teens were reportedly involved in selling amounts for local dealersand being paid partly in crack:54 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 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 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
Page 80 and 81: The data provided by the NDTRS in S
Page 82 and 83: But you know it would be about kind
Page 84 and 85: So, debt is another significant iss
Page 86 and 87: 7.6 Key findings• A significant p
Page 88 and 89: There are considerable long-term ps
Page 90: 8.3 Psychological consequences of c
Page 93 and 94: 9 Treating crack use9.0 OverviewIn
Page 95 and 96: Some services were in a position to
Page 97 and 98: Both opiate-dependent and non-opiat
Page 99 and 100: • more outreach work to identify
Page 101 and 102: 10 Policing crack markets10.0 Overv
Page 103 and 104: local communities. There is growing
Page 105 and 106:
He’d know me, I’d know him, you
Page 107 and 108:
Table 10.1 Number of new cases who
Page 109 and 110:
108 Crack cocaine in the Dublin reg
Page 111 and 112:
11 Discussion and research implicat
Page 113 and 114:
11.2 Responding to crack markets an
Page 115 and 116:
11.3 Reducing the harm that crack c
Page 117 and 118:
Shoplifting, burglary and robbery w
Page 119 and 120:
Bourgois P (2003b) Crack and the po
Page 121 and 122:
Furey M and Browne C (2004) Opiate
Page 123 and 124:
Loughran H and McCann ME (2006) A c
Page 125 and 126:
San Diego Police Department (1998)
Page 127 and 128:
Appendix A:An evidence base for tre
Page 129 and 130:
note that providing information on
Page 131 and 132:
MedicationsA number of studies have
Page 133 and 134:
interpersonal psychotherapy. Americ
Page 135 and 136:
Jurisdiction Intervention/Descripti
Page 137 and 138:
Jurisdiction Intervention/Descripti
Page 139 and 140:
Appendix C:Recent HRB series public
Page 141 and 142:
140 Crack cocaine in the Dublin reg
show all

Crack cocaine in the Dublin region - Health Research Board

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?