Irish cocaine use among young people twice the EU average, report finds.
Irish rates of recent cocaine use among young people are twice the EU average, while ecstasy consumption is almost three times as high, according to new figures.
In its 2026 annual report, the EU Drugs Agency (EUDA) says cocaine production in South America is at an “all-time high” and that this is leading to increased use, emergencies, treatment demand and fatalities across Europe.
The Health Research Board (HRB), which provides Irish data for the report, says that while cocaine was the second most common drug among people entering treatment for the first time in the EU, it is the most common drug among new treatment cases in Ireland.
The EUDA report says cocaine was involved in 27% of drug-induced deaths in the EU, but this figure rises to 33.5% in Ireland.
The European Drug Report 2026, published on Thursday, also found that:
In relation to cocaine, the report states: “The number of people entering treatment for cocaine problems continues to rise. Cocaine was the second most common illicit drug among first-time entrants to specialised drug treatment in 2024.”
The report found that 2.6% of people aged 15 to 34 in the EU had used cocaine in the previous year. The HRB said the 2023 Healthy Ireland survey found that 5% of Irish people in the same age group had taken cocaine in the previous year — almost twice the EU average.
The HRB also reported that cocaine was the most common drug among first-time entrants to treatment in Ireland, accounting for half of all cases.
The EUDA said data from 20 of the EU’s 27 member states indicated cocaine was implicated in 27% of drug-related deaths.
The HRB says: “Cocaine was implicated in 115 drug poisoning deaths in 2022. This represents 33.5% of all drug poisoning deaths in 2022.”
The EUDA report said 330 tonnes of cocaine were seized across the EU in 2024, down from a record 419 tonnes in 2023.
“The number of seizures, however, rose to 97,000 (95,000 in 2023), suggesting that traffickers may be moving towards smaller, more fragmented consignments to avoid detection,” the report says. “While bulk shipments through seaports sustain high availability, there are signs that trafficking routes and methods are diversifying. There are more reports of smaller ports being exploited, alongside more sophisticated concealment methods and at-sea transfers.”
The report said 42 cocaine production sites across six EU member states were dismantled in 2024, compared with 34 in 2023.
It also found that 2.4% of people aged 15 to 34 in the EU had taken ecstasy (MDMA) in the previous year.
The HRB said figures from its 2019-2020 national survey found that 6.5% of people in the same age group in Ireland had taken ecstasy in the previous year.
Launching the report, Magnus Brunner, European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, said: “The European Drug Report reveals the human cost of drug use, with the latest annual figures showing at least 7 600 overdose deaths.
“We must pull out all the stops to prevent dangerous new products from flooding the market and use the full force of the law to strip illegal traffickers of their business model. With the EU Early Warning System, we are identifying new trends early. Through our Action Plan against drug trafficking, we have given European authorities a clear playbook — and by stepping up international cooperation, we are building a global front to tackle this criminal trade.”
The recently appointed Irish executive director of the EUDA, Dr Lorraine Nolan, said: “Drug markets are evolving at speed, with the variety of substances on Europe’s streets becoming ever more unpredictable. This raises the risk: people may be taking high-potency drugs, often without knowing it. Solid facts matter now more than ever.
“The European Drug Report provides the evidence to ensure that our policymakers, practitioners and communities are well prepared. At the same time, the EUDA is strengthening its monitoring and preparedness systems to better protect Europe’s citizens and support effective responses.
"A balanced approach is essential, tackling both supply and demand. As well as being grounded in science, it must also be focused on human rights and public health.”
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