'Significant Rise' In Gambling, Cocaine Addiction Cases

A treatment centre in Dublin has reported a major increase in people presenting with addictions to gambling or cocaine.

According to its 2023 annual report, the Rutland Centre recorded a "dramatic surge" in the amount of people who sough treatment for several addictions. 

"62% of individuals now presenting with multiple addictions, a significant increase from 48% in 2022", the reported said. "Notably, there has been a sharp rise in poly-addiction cases, with 20% of individuals struggling with three or more substances or behaviours". 

Elsewhere, the report also found a 16% of its service users seeking treatment for addiction to cocaine. They said that this reflects the figures reported by the Health Research Board, which had earlier said that the use of powder cocaine had increased by 197% between 2017 and 2023, with crack cocaine surging by 594%. 

The Rutland Centre's annual report has since called for more "comprehensive and multifaceted" treatment for these cases, and added that the findings show an "alarming trend".