The face of addiction in Ireland is changing and we are witnessing the most significant shift in our drug landscape since the heroin epidemic of the 1980s. The sedative effects of heroin use are slowly shifting towards a more intense and restless energy that is commonly associated with a drug with very different effects but ravaging the same communities.

Social inequality remains at the heart of the problem. If we don’t take steps to provide adequate social support we could end up looking back at this time as our next epidemic, the crack cocaine crisis. The victims remain the same and the consequences could be just as devastating.

At Merchants Quay Ireland our frontline staff are reporting that many people who use crack cocaine are presenting in shocking conditions, showing significant weight loss, poor nutrition and declining overall physical health. Crack cocaine suppresses a person’s appetite and its short-lived effects alongside its low cost drives repeated use throughout the day. People who use the drug describe spending much of their time focused on obtaining and using the drug, while eating, sleeping and self-care become secondary concerns.

People’s lived experience as well as statistics confirm our concerns. The Health Research Board’s (HRB) drug treatment report for 2025 shows cocaine became the most common drug for which people sought treatment in Ireland last year. Crack cocaine accounted for 26.6 per cent of all cocaine cases (1,741), the highest figure ever recorded in Ireland. Treatment demand for crack cocaine increased by more than 900 per cent between 2017 and 2025, while rising by 31 per........

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