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From college house parties to local pub restrooms, cocaine use has become an open secret in Ireland’s young social circles. Comment Editor, Andrea Beyer-Fraile, discusses the drug’s popularity with recent UCD graduate Christopher Thomas.
After graduation, I made the bold move to Berlin. On one occasion, I found myself outside the notorious KIT KAT Sex Club, surrounded by fellow Irish expats. It was then that I realised just how troubled the younger Irish generation was when one of the lads leaned in and confessed, “I left Ireland to escape my cocaine addiction.” Really? Choosing to emigrate to the European hub of drug recreation to break free from a cocaine habit seemed absurd to me. Only upon my return home in August did I start to grasp the reality of it all, with bumps of cocaine flowing about the pub as frequently as pints of Guinness. I was taken aback, not so much by the white powdered keys, but by the sheer openness and nonchalance surrounding the activity.
According to the Health Research Board (HRB), cocaine use among young Irish adults has risen drastically in the past decade, with the drug now ranking as the second most commonly used illicit substance after cannabis. The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) has also flagged Ireland as one of the highest consumers of cocaine per capita in Europe.
When you are a student, it is only a matter of time before someone approaches you at an outing, offering you a line or bump, most likely of MDMA or ketamine. Nonetheless, before the pandemic, cocaine had always seemed to be the one rotten egg among the cocktail of mysterious drugs. Things have changed.
Unlike previous generations, today’s users do not fit the stereotypical profile of the “problem drug user.” I had the pleasure of sitting down with Christopher Thomas (He/Him), a recent UCD graduate who has entered the professional workforce. In this conversation, Christopher shared his experience as an active user.
“I would say it’s the most accepted drug for how hard the drug is. I feel like heroin, meth, crack are around that same class of danger as cocaine but I have never brought up cocaine and had someone react shocked or concerned.”
Despite treatment centers across the country reporting an increase in people seeking help for cocaine dependency, this lack of concern, as Christopher highlights, seems to be widespread, with no visible short-term effects contributing to the misconception that it is a relatively “safe” drug. The health risks associated with cocaine include anxiety, heart-related complications, and long-term neurological effects. Yet, harm reduction messaging around the substance remains inconsistent compared to campaigns targeting alcohol and smoking.
Young professionals or students who dabble with it see occasional cocaine use as no more harmful than excessive drinking. Christopher emphasised that it is this relaxed attitude towards the drug that promotes its use in his inner circles, reinforcing that he has no active plan to quit. “Honestly, the fact that I know so many people doing it and they lead healthy, successful lives doesn’t have me too worried about it.”
it is always something my friends will get towards the end of the night, so the accessibility is there. It is harder to get antibiotics.
Our generation has a sense of hopelessness marked by the limited prospects for economic stability. Increased financial pressures, a highly competitive job market and a persistent housing crisis have contributed to a culture of escapism. Given the rising cost of living, and the spiralling housing crisis, younger generations are faced with the prospect of never becoming homeowners, and are thus not as interested in saving their earnings to try and reach this goal. The Central Statistics Office (CSO) released its report in January of this year, stating that the median dwelling price in the country is €359,999. Allowing ourselves to think about buying a home of our own feels like a luxury in and of itself.
Christopher echoed this sentiment during our interview. He shared that the average cost per gram of “sneactha” ranges from 80 to 100 euros, emphasising that the high costs associated with the drug are irrelevant to him. “The older generations condemning our behaviours do not understand how bleak our prospects are. A bit of cocaine on the weekend is not the problem; the economic instability that awaits us is.”
Given the nonchalant attitude towards cocaine, I found myself reflecting on the pandemic. With COVID-19, many Gen Zers saw themselves begin their academic and professional careers from their childhood bedrooms on Zoom calls. The drug’s association with confidence and energy makes it an appealing choice for those who may feel socially unadapted following the pandemic. While MDMA and Ecstasy are popular for their euphoric sensations, and ketamine for its wobbly and confused experience, cocaine provides something unique for Gen Z, a fast track to being the most chatty and engaging person in the room.
Whatever your stance on the substance, the narrative concerning cocaine has certainly shifted; it is no longer exclusive to elitist circles or considered a no-try zone, it is readily accessible and enjoyed. Christopher emphasised that “it is always something my friends will get towards the end of the night, so the accessibility is there. It is harder to get antibiotics.”
Christopher’s comment on antibiotics gives insight into the precarious health care system in Ireland, where we pay a 60 euro fee to sit down with a GP and, in the case of infections, you have to put on your best performance to be given a course of (costly) antibiotics. Whereas, if you are looking for “a bit of bag”, according to Chris, a simple search among fellow club enthusiasts will have you sorted.
When I reflect on my beloved parents’ drug awareness campaigns held at the dinner table leading up to my first year of college (2019, wow, I feel old), where drugs were vilified and the characteristics of users often being described to me as wealthy, bored and unmotivated kids who “have nothing better to do,” alongside their reinforcement of being aware of these personas and steering away from them. As I am sure many reading this can resonate with, I have discovered that the “facts” presented to me by my parents are far from the truth. In my inner circles, some of the most successful people (in terms of job acquisition and academic performance) are those who engage with drugs.
The days following the interview, I could not help but contemplate the rise in popularity of the illicit substance as a mirror to the Irish youth’s condition. In a post-pandemic world, socially stunted, with hyperinflation just around the corner and the housing crisis worsening by what seems to be the hour, cocaine use being embedded into our social fabric should hardly be surprising.
As Ireland grapples with this growing issue, questions arise about how to address it. Should our policymakers focus on stricter law enforcement, or is a shift toward harm reduction and education needed? Ignoring its normalisation among our generation can only deepen its grip.