Home > Drug and Alcohol Trends Monitoring System (DATMS) 2016.

Blanchardstown Local Drug and Alcohol Task Force. (2016) Drug and Alcohol Trends Monitoring System (DATMS) 2016. Dublin: Blanchardstown Local Drug and Alcohol Task Force.

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The Blanchardstown Local Drug and Alcohol Task Force (BLDATF) developed the Drug and Alcohol Trends Monitoring System (DATMS) to provide up-to-date information about drug and alcohol use among people living in Dublin 15. The DATMS identified the types of drugs used within the community, and identified new emerging trends at an early stage of development. This information is essential for identifying key issues and will be used to inform the development of appropriate strategies to respond to the identified issues. The data has established a baseline on trends from which future changes will be monitored over time.

Research Findings

Treated drug and alcohol use:

• The main problem drugs for treated adult drug users included the following: heroin, methadone, alcohol, cannabis (weed), benzodiazepines/z drugs and cocaine powder.

• The main problem drugs for treated under 18 year old drug users included the following: cannabis (weed) and alcohol, with ecstasy and solvents used to a lesser extent.

• Service providers reported an increase in the use of the following drugs by treated drug users: cannabis (weed), benzodiazepines and z drugs, crack cocaine, alcohol, lyrica (prescribed pain killer) and codeine based OTC (pharmacy over the counter) drugs. The increase in the use of weed related to treated under 18 and adult drug users. The increase in the use of the other drugs is related to treated adult drug users only.

• The profile of heroin users has changed over the last few years. The number of heroin users entering treatment is declining; clients are an ageing population of long term users, with less young people accessing treatment.

• Polydrug use was reported to be the norm by the majority of treated under 18 and adult drug users.

• Steroids were used by some men in recovery from problematic drug use, which in some cases was associated with relapse.

Untreated drug and alcohol use:

• For both untreated under 18 and adult drug users:

• Alcohol was the most commonly used drug; binge drinking to excess was a common occurrence among both males and females.

• Cannabis (weed) was the second most commonly used drug; for young people, the frequency of use varied from daily to less frequent use; for

some young males’ daily use occurred before and during school.

• Cocaine powder, ecstasy and ketamine were the next most commonly used drugs, with benzodiazepines and z drugs used to a lesser extent.

• Service providers reported an increase in the use of these drugs by untreated young drug users aged from 15 to early 20’s.

• Ecstasy has made a ‘comeback’ in terms of popularity.

• Ketamine has become increasingly popular in the last twelve months.

• Polydrug use was perceived to be the norm, and predominately occurred at the weekend among young people aged 15 and over.

• Alcohol was reported to be an integral part of polydrug use. A typical drug taking session started with alcohol and was then accompanied by

other drugs.

• The frequency of polydrug use depended on the age of the drug user, with those aged from 18 to 30 reporting more regular polydrug use

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