Crack cocaine in the Dublin region - Health Research Board

Many of these relatively older users might have first sampled crack cocaine abroadand might have subsequently ceased using it in Ireland due to lack of supply or poorcocaine purity. During the in-depth interviews, 5 of the 10 former or current crack usersinterviewed reported using crack for the first time in the UK or Europe. The increasedavailability of cocaine in Ireland, and the emergence of ready-made crack, may haveencouraged some users to begin reusing crack cocaine.5.4 Crack cocaine and powder cocaineData from the NDTRS indicates that powder cocaine is more commonly reported as aproblem drug than is the case with crack cocaine. Twelve cases reported use of bothforms of cocaine. Drug-treatment and social services personnel who participated inthis study indicated that, while the use of powder cocaine was their biggest concern(in addition to heroin), recreational powder cocaine users rarely make the transitionto crack cocaine. Among recreational users of powder cocaine, crack was generallyregarded in a negative manner. The negative media reports that crack has received inthe UK and the US appear to have imbued the substance with a ‘dirty’ or ‘taboo’ imageof hardcore addiction and deprivation; this may repel the majority of recreationalcocaine users from experimenting with crack.We’d have a younger age group that would be attending the centre down to cocaine use. Andthey’re adamant that they wouldn’t do crack. They would view crack as dirty.Clondalkin, drug-treatment service (October 2007)What you call normal coke users, weekend users – it would be seen as dirty, they wouldn’tdo it, it’s anti-social, it’s a ‘junkie’ thing.Finglas, drug-treatment service (October 2007)It’s the old heroin. Now within drug users and the kind of peer structure it used to be –well if you inject you’re a junkie … but if you only snort it or you skinpop [to inject a drugbeneath the skin rather than into a vein] it well then, you know, at least you’re not mainlining[injecting] it into your vein. So crack is kind of the new low, if you like.Ballyfermot, drug-treatment service (October 2007)5.5 Crack and intravenous cocaine useWhile there is little evidence to suggest that intranasal users of powder cocaine makea transition to crack, interviews with crack users and service providers suggest thata proportion of crack users may make a transition from intravenous powder cocaineuse to crack use. Intravenous powder cocaine users may develop crack cocaine habitsbecause of their deteriorating physical condition after a prolonged period of injectingcocaine; problems may include damaged veins, abscesses and amputations. In most62 Crack cocaine in the Dublin region: an evidence base for a crack cocaine strategy