Crack cocaine in the Dublin region - Health Research Board

5.2 Crack and other drugsMany of the international findings discussed above emphasise that the majority ofcrack users have a history of problematic drug use (involving opiates in particular). Thefindings were borne out by this study. The NDTRS data show that individual cases mayreport using up to four problem drugs comprising one main problem drug and up tothree additional problem drugs. As reported in Section 2.4, there were 135 cases thatlived in Dublin and reported crack cocaine as a problem drug between 2004 and 2006.Of these 135 cases, 35 (26%) were being treated for the first time (Table 5.1).Table 5.1Number of cases who lived in Dublin and were treated for problem crack cocaineuse, by treatment status, as reported to the NDTRS, 2004 to 2006Year treatedTreatment status 2004 2005 2006 TotalNew cases 9 12 14 35Previously treated cases 34 26 34 94Treatment status unknown 2 0 4 6Total 45 38 52 135Eighteen cases reported crack cocaine as their main problem substance. Of these, ninehad been treated previously, and eight were entering treatment for the first time (Table5.2). Fourteen (78%) used more than one drug (Table 5.2 and Figure 5.1). The morecommon additional drugs were opiates or cocaine powder.Table 5.2Number of cases who lived in Dublin and were treated for crack cocaine as a mainproblem drug, by treatment status, as reported to the NDTRS, 2004 to 2006Year treatedCrack cocaine main problem drug by treatment status 2004 2005 2006 TotalNew cases 1 2 5 8Previously treated cases 3 2 4 9Treatment status unknown 0 0 1 1Total 4 4 10 18There were 117 cases who lived in Dublin and were treated for problem crack cocaineuse as an additional problem drug between 2004 and 2006. Of these cases, 85 (73%)had been previously treated for problem drug use and only 27 (23%) were enteringtreatment for the first time (Table 5.3).Crack cocaine in the Dublin region: an evidence base for a crack cocaine strategy59