Analysis: A new study shows how increased drug use is putting growing pressure on families, communities, workplaces and health services
By Vikram Niranjan, University of Limerick and Zubair Kabir, UCC
Drug use is often talked about as if it only affects "other people", but the truth is much closer to home. It affects families, classrooms, workplaces, hospitals and communities - and the warning signs in Ireland are becoming harder to ignore.
Our major new study shows that drug use disorders remain a serious and growing health burden around the world. In Ireland, the picture is worrying in a different way: treatment data shows cocaine is now the main problem drug in a large share of cases, with thousands of people seeking help each year. Not just a number, it's a sign that more young people and adults are being drawn into harmful patterns that can damage health, relationships and futures.
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From RTÉ Radio 1's Morning Ireland, Dr Anne Marie Carew from the Health Research Board on a record 15,422 cases treated for problem drug use in Ireland last year
Ireland stands out among European countries and ranks second only to the Netherlands in past-year MDMA use among 15-34-year-olds at 4.4%. Cocaine treatment cases have surged, making up 34% of entries in 2022 (up 26% from 2021). While opioid numbers have stabilised around 19,000 to 21,000 nationally, cocaine has overtaken cannabis as the leading reason people seek treatment. Lifetime illicit drug use among 15-64-year-olds now hits 30%, well above early 2000s levels.
This matters because drug use does not stay neatly contained and spreads through families and communities. It affects attendance at school, performance at work, mental health, road safety and the daily pressure on health services. A country cannot build a strong future if too many of its young people are being lost to addiction, poor mental health or preventable harm. It's like trying to fill a bucket with a hole in the bottom: every effort is weakened if we do not stop the damage at the source.
Parents are part of that prevention as they notice the small changes early. A young person who becomes secretive, withdrawn, angry, tired or disconnected may be asking for help in ways they do not know how to say out loud. The most powerful thing parents can do is keep talking, keep listening, and keep the door open. A calm conversation at the right time can be worth more than a lecture after the fact.
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From RTÉ Radio 1's Morning Ireland. 'faster to get cocaine in rural Ireland than a pizza delivery'
Schools also play a major role and teachers can often spot the first signs that something is wrong. That does not mean they need to solve everything themselves, but it does mean schools should have strong pastoral support, clear drug education and fast access to counselling and referral services. Young people need honest, practical education about drugs, not scare stories that they stop believing. They also need trusted adults who can respond early instead of waiting until a crisis forces the issue.
But society cannot simply ask families and schools to carry the burden alone. Drug use grows where there is stress, boredom, isolation, poor mental health and lack of opportunity. That means prevention must also mean giving young people something to hold onto: safe spaces, sports, arts, mentors, youth clubs, apprenticeships, and good mental health support. If we want fewer young people to turn to drugs, we need to make healthy choices more possible and more attractive.
The cost of inaction is high. When addiction takes hold, it can hollow out a person’s life, but it also weakens the wider economy. It means lost school days, lost work days, more hospital visits, more strain on emergency services and more pressure on already stretched treatment teams. It is as much a public problem as a private one. Like all such problems it become harder and more expensive the longer it is ignored. It is like a slow leak in the foundations of a house: the damage may seem small at first, but the whole structure weakens over time.
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From RTE Radio 1's News at One, head of An Garda Síochána's Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau Superintendent Séamus Boland on the rise in drug-related criminal intimidation
Ireland’s response is practical and health-led. The Government’s Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery strategy (2017–2025) and emerging 2026–2029 plan focus on prevention, treatment, harm reduction and recovery together. But strategy alone is not enough. It needs action on the ground, such as evidence-based school drug education, parent training to spot warning signs, expanded GP services, peer-led programmes, rural outreach and visible local data, all aligned with WHO public health recommendations.
It also means making treatment faster to reach, especially for cocaine and polydrug use, which are now major concerns in Ireland. It also means treating drug use as a health and social issue, not only a criminal one.
If we want to protect the next generation, the answer cannot be fear or blame. It has to be early action, honest conversations and services that meet people where they are. The good news is that prevention works, but it works best when families, schools, communities and government move together.
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Dr Vikram Niranjan is an Assistant Professor in Public Health at the School of Medicine at the University of Limerick. He is a Research Ireland awardee. Dr Zubair Kabir is Senior Lecturer at School of Public Health at UCC. He is a Research Ireland awardee.
The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ. If you have been affected by issues raised in this article, support information is available online
