The surge in the number of people seeking treatment for cocaine addiction is most likely the “tip of the iceberg”, with drug use now “rife” within society, an addiction specialist has warned. 

In 2025 alone, there was a 50% increase in the number of people seeking treatment for psychotic substances, according to the Health Research Board. 

On Breakfast Briefing, Senior Researcher at the Health Research Board, Dr Anne Marie Carew said the numbers were “driven largely by cocaine”. 

“Last year, we saw more than 15,000 cases treated for problem drug use - it's an increase on the previous year,” she said. 

“When we looked at the main drugs involved, really three stand out; cocaine was the most common drug reported. It accounted for just over four in every 10 treatment cases. 

“Next, we had opioids, mainly heroin; that made up nearly three in every 10 cases. 

“Cannabis was third, accounting for almost two in every 10 cases.”

On Newstalk Breakfast, Priority Medical Clinic Medical Director Dr Garrett McGovern said the figures are the “tip of the iceberg”.

“We've been seeing this over certainly the last five or six years, but probably over the last 10 years and more in terms of cocaine presentations,” he said. 

“The prevalence has gone up; the part of the study which is encouraging is that although it looks like there's a greater number of people running into trouble with cocaine, there's also more treatment options for people.” 

Dr McGovern continued that drug use is now “rife” within certain social circles and is causing serious issues for those who know users. 

“I work in some very marginalised communities which have got ravaged by crack cocaine - which is causing a terrible problem for families and for communities,” he said. 

“Not to mention drug-related violence and all that sort of stuff. 

“So, it's a serious issue.” 

'They may wait for people to go to bed'

Dr McGovern added that many people will know someone who is a drug addict, but have no idea. 

Like with alcoholism, it is possible to be impacted by addiction and to hide it well from those around you. 

“The vast majority of cases that I treat are not socially problematic cocaine use,” he said. 

“They're actually people using cocaine on their own; a lot of them would buy cocaine on the way home from work. 

“Some people would take it home with them - and it's usually men - and they may wait for people to go to bed and then take it. 

“Many of them are also taking cocaine and alcohol, which even kind of doubles down on the harms.”

Some drug users even believe that what they are doing is harmless, much like having a pint down the pub with your colleagues after work. 

“I think it works off the premise - a bit like alcohol - of safety in numbers,” Dr McGovern said. 

“The general feeling is, if a lot of people are doing it, a lot of people are still getting up and being able to go to work, a lot of people are not dying. 

“It's only when you see it among people, when someone dies, they kind of realise that that could happen to them. 

“But among a lot of people, it is normalised.”

Main image: Cocaine. Picture by: Alamy.com.