Addiction service sees rise in cocaine referrals

Motiv8 Addiction Services has seen referrals for those using cocaine surpass those using cannabis

The number of referrals that an addiction support charity has received for cocaine use has surpassed those for cannabis for the first time, its chief executive has said.

Between April 2024 and March this year, Motiv8 Addiction Services saw 33 self-referrals by cocaine users, up from 26 last year.

During the same period, the organisation saw the number of referral for cannabis fall to 31 from 47 the previous year.

Motiv8 chief executive Thea Ozenturk said she believed a drop in referrals for the Class B drug coincided with the legalisation of its medicinal use through prescription.

She said as people were getting cannabis through "different means" it was "becoming less problematic for them".

"It takes it out of the drug culture, so they are not accessing it through illicit means and getting into trouble with the law for a medical reason," she continued.

'Stigma and harm'

"There is still a steady number for cannabis referrals, but what we are finding now is for the first time ever cocaine referrals has overtaken cannabis," she said.

A pilot for dispensing medicinal cannabis from Karson's Pharmacy in Onchan was launched in December 2022.

After the pilot had ended, in July last year that service was expanded to enable other pharmacies to provide the service.

Ms Ozenturk said the dispensation of medicinal cannabis had "good effects for people by taking them out of the criminal justice system".

However, as part of the cannabis market had been "taken away from drug dealers", she said it may lead to an increased circulation of Class A drugs, such as cocaine.

"Cocaine has always been there and it is a drug of choice... people use it to extend their night out," she continued.

Overall drug referrals were highest for the charity for those between the ages of 18 and 24, she said.

Overall figures show a total of 126 drug referrals this financial year, up from 107 the year before.