Crack cocaine in the Dublin region - Health Research Board

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Table 5.5Number (%) of new cases who lived in Dublin and reported crack cocaine as aproblem drug, by frequency of use, as reported to the NDTRS, 2004 to 2006Use in the month prior to treatment Number %Daily 8 22.92–6 days a week 5 14.3Once a week or less 3 8.6No use in past month 16 45.7Not known 3 8.6Total 35 100.0The data from in-depth interviews indicated a similar pattern. Binge use was thepredominant pattern, but a number of clients reported sustaining a daily habit. Bingescould vary from a single, intense one day session to a longer session lasting up to fivedays, depending on a user’s finances. While some drug-treatment personnel reportedthe rapid onset of addiction in certain clients, they also made the point that a numberof clients use crack sporadically or opportunistically rather than compulsively. Notevery client was a compulsive user, even if they did have a problematic drug history.For some it’s binge-like around pay day and the weekend but for a few it is daily and that’sall they’d use. Those who are bingeing would be using other things in between.north-inner city, drug-treatment service (September 2007)For some it is just occasional, you know and they’ll go on a bit of a bender and they’ll pullback from it, and they mightn’t go near it again for a month or two months. And for othersit becomes a lot more consistent…Clondalkin, drug-treatment service (October 2007)Among the study’s sample of users there was also a degree of variation in relation totheir pattern of use. Five of the 10 users interviewed had been or were currently usingcrack on a daily basis, and three were currently using it once or twice a week (usuallywhen they received their social welfare payment). These users admitted that theywould use more if they had greater resources available to them. The remaining formerusers had smoked crack only sporadically.I’d smoke every Wednesday and Friday, and I’d smoke four bags... I kind of try and make itlast.north-east Dublin, current crack user (September 2007)I knocked it on the head but I have the slip at the weekend. Like, if I had more money I woulddo it. But I was locked up loads of times in Mountjoy.north-east Dublin, current crack user (October 2007)Crack cocaine in the Dublin region: an evidence base for a crack cocaine strategy65
5.8 Key findings• Of the 135 cases treated for problem crack cocaine use between 20004 and 2006,18 reported crack cocaine as a main problem drug and 117 cases reported it as anadditional problem drug.• According to NDTRS data, of the 18 cases who reported crack cocaine as a mainproblem drug, 10 reported an opiate (mainly heroin) as an additional problemdrug. Of the 117 cases who reported crack cocaine as an additional problem drug,91% reported an opiate as the main problem drug.• Information obtained in the in-depth interviews suggests that crack use mayencourage the use or reuse of substances such as heroin, benzodiazepines orother tablets in order to manage the side effects of crack, such as anxiety ordepression.• Among recreational users of powder cocaine, crack was generally regarded ina negative manner. Recreational users of powder cocaine, who administer itintranasally (by sniffing), rarely made the transition to crack cocaine.• A proportion of intravenous powder cocaine users made a transition to smokingcrack cocaine because of the physical harms of injecting powder cocaine (such asabscesses and damaged veins).• Smoking was the predominant mode of administration of crack cocaine, butintravenous use is preferred by a small minority. A small number of services wereunaware that crack could be used intravenously.• Eight of the 35 new cases reported to the NDTRS used crack cocaine on a dailybasis, and an additional five cases used it between two and six times a week. Fiveof the ten users interviewed had been or were currently using crack on a dailybasis, and three were currently using it once or twice a week (usually when theyreceived their social welfare payment). These users admitted that they would usemore crack if they had greater financial resources available to them.• While some drug-treatment personnel reported the rapid onset of addiction incertain clients, they also pointed out that a number of clients used crack onlysporadically or opportunistically, rather than compulsively. Even among clientswith a history of problematic use of other drugs, not all were compulsiveusers of crack.66 Crack cocaine in the Dublin region: an evidence base for a crack cocaine strategy
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HRB Research Series6Crack cocaine i
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This publication should be cited as
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HRB Research Series publicationsto
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ContentsList of tables and figures
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7 Social consequences of crack use
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List of tables and figuresTablesTab
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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 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 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
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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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