Home > Crack Cocaine, Epidemiology, Services and Treatment Conference.

Kelly, Fionnola (2004) Crack Cocaine, Epidemiology, Services and Treatment Conference. Drugnet Ireland, Issue 11, June 2004, pp. 24-25.

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On 10 May 2004, a crack cocaine conference was held by the North West Wales NHS Trust in the historic town of Caernarfon on the Welsh coast. The conference was held in response to the increasing number of crack cocaine users entering treatment throughout the United Kingdom and the perceived lack of services available to them. The conference provided an opportunity for service providers, project workers, researchers and other people working with drug users to increase their understanding of the issues surrounding the use of crack cocaine. The speakers at the conference shared their broad range of experiences with attendees. 

The conference was divided into three sessions.

 Session one began by outlining the physiology of crack cocaine use. 

  •   Dr Chris Thorpe, a physician from the North West Wales NHS Trust, spoke about the feelings of euphoria, excitement and increased motor activity experienced by an individual when using crack cocaine; 
  •   Dr Jim O’Toole, the Director of Substance Misuse North West Wales NHS Trust, went on to report on the risk behaviours associated with crack cocaine, such as having unprotected sex and sharing both injecting and smoking equipment. 

The afternoon session focused on patterns of cocaine use from a criminal justice perspective. 

  • Sgt Dewi Roberts, from the North Wales Police force, stated that there are between 15,000 and 45,000 crack cocaine users in the United Kingdom. Forty to fifty tonne of cocaine powder is imported annually and police and customs seize approximately one-fifth of it;
  • Nino Maddalena, the Criminal Justice Manager of the National Treatment Agency (NTA), described the growing crack problem in the United Kingdom and said that the incidence of crack use is generally under-reported. 

The evening session concentrated on service provision and effective approaches to treatment.

  • Aidan Gray (Advisor to the NTA) and Daniel Taegtmeyer (Blenheim Project West London) described methods of developing and delivering services for crack cocaine users and the treatment options available to them. They emphasised that in order to develop appropriate crack cocaine services it is necessary to: identify the barriers that exist in preventing the establishment of such a service; to ascertain local trends and uses; and to identify effective approaches to tackle the issue.  

 The topics discussed at this conference will be examined in more detail in Drugnet Ireland 12. The research findings, practices and service provision for crack cocaine users in the United Kingdom will be compared with those in Ireland and suggestions will be made on how to improve treatment services for crack cocaine users in Ireland. 

Item Type
Article
Publication Type
Irish-related, Open Access, Article
Drug Type
Cocaine
Issue Title
Issue 11, June 2004
Date
June 2004
Page Range
pp. 24-25
Publisher
Health Research Board
Volume
Issue 11, June 2004
EndNote
Accession Number
HRB (Available)

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