A new HSE campaign warning about the dangers of cocaine hit the airwaves and bus shelters last week. The campaign, which cost €500,000 and will run for a year, aims to dispel the myth that cocaine is a safe drug.
Entitled "The Party's Over", it involves outdoor, washroom, digital and radio advertising highlighting the dangers of the drug. The campaign warns about the increased risk of depression, impotence and heart attack among those who use the drug.
It also highlights the after-effects of cocaine use such as paranoia, anxiety and panic attacks.
HSE research published at the launch of the campaign indicates that nearly one in 10 adults (10 per cent) aged 25-34 has used cocaine. In 2003 the figure was 4.2 per cent.
The report revealed that almost one in six cocaine users are either unaware, or do not believe, that there is an increased danger in taking alcohol and cocaine together. Nearly two-thirds of those who use cocaine are unconvinced or do not believe that cocaine is a highly addictive drug, according to the report.
The study, conducted among cocaine users aged 18-34, found that 43 per cent of users had used cocaine at a staff party and 19 per cent had used the drug at a work or client function. Ten per cent of those surveyed reported that they had used cocaine before work with 8 per cent admitting that they had used it during work.
As part of the campaign a new drugs information website (drugs.ie) has also been launched. It contains information about drugs and support services available around the country. The site also provides access to a live online support service where members of the public have direct access to drugs professionals.
A mobile SMS service also forms part of the campaign. The first of its kind in Europe, the service provides factual information about drugs in a range of languages. By texting the name of the substance to 51900, users of the service can receive information about that drug.