Warning cocaine will be bigger problem than heroin

Published on Wednesday 14 May 2008 10:37

COCAINE will soon become a bigger problem than heroin in Edinburgh, according to Edinburgh's outgoing drugs and alcohol tsar.

Tom Wood said the falling cost of the drug – now around the price of a glass of wine – means it is no longer the preserve of professionals, but is already being used together with heroin in some parts of Edinburgh. He said this would lead to the same antisocial problems associated with heroin, such as crime and prostitution.

Mr Wood is handing over to the council's director of health and social care, Peter Gabbitas, at the end of the month.

He told councillors: "In this city, we are living with the legacy of heavy heroin use in the 1980s.

"Drug-taking and heavy alcohol use is normal in many parts of society in our city. We are not at the top of the bell curve yet, and there will be a huge increase in child protection referrals and drug deaths for the next five or six years. It's a long road ahead.

"Cocaine is here, and in some parts of the city it is already a bigger problem than heroin. In five years time, it will be the major problem in Edinburgh and east Scotland. It won't be restricted to the wine bars – it will permeate throughout and it is really difficult to treat."

Mr Wood said a heavy cocaine habit is just as addictive as heroin. But he also said that a "reality check" is needed, because the level of heavy alcohol abuse is 20 times higher than drug use.