Young Addicts Hooked On ‘Economy’ Cocaine

Increasing numbers of children and young adults in Scotland’s biggest city are becoming addicted to cocaine, according to a report published today.

Glasgow is among 20 cities across the UK where drugs workers revealed dealers have begun selling “economy” cocaine, putting the drug within easier reach of younger people such as students and others on low incomes.

According to the report, dealers are selling a less pure version of cocaine at about £30 a gram, while the higher quality, “luxury” grade, at £50 a gram, is offered to more affluent customers.

The survey of 80 drug services by charity DrugScope also found teenagers were starting to use cocaine as young as 15 and anecdotal evidence suggested that younger and younger people were asking for help with a cocaine problem.

Rising cocaine use among the young is said to have caused the ecstasy market to virtually collapse as users lured by the falling prices switch to coke as their drug of choice, often mixing it with alcohol.

Drug workers in Scotland say the study highlights the need for more specialist services to deal with the problems associated with cocaine use, particularly for younger addicts.

DrugScope chief executive Martin Barnes said: “There is little if any evidence that current efforts to tackle supply are impacting on the availability and price of cocaine – indeed, dealers are able to meet the demands of different users by creating a two-tier market “We are concerned we may be entering a new era of problem drug use’ relating less to heroin and crack and more to the misuse of alcohol, cocaine, cannabis and ecstasy.”

Drugs charity Turning Point echoed the concerns. George Hunter, who manages the charity’s Glasgow Drug Crisis Centre, said: “Anecdotally, we have heard that young people are preferring cocaine now.”

The survey, entitled 2007 Street Drug Trends and published in DrugScope’s magazine Druglink, was based on interviews with voluntary drug and alcohol services, drug action teams and police forces at cities and towns including Birmingham, Gloucester, London and Penzance. Glasgow was the only Scottish city included.

The Scottish Government said it was doing “all it could to tackle the menace of cocaine use” but stressed that “despite the rise in the number of individuals reporting cocaine use, they remain low compared to other drugs.”