European study shows Dublin's ketamine use reached same level as MDMA in 2024
A garda seizure of suspected ketamine in Dublin recently. Dublin had the tenth highest levels of ketamine in municipal wastewater of all cities tested in Europe, pointing to a possible increasing use of the psychoactive dissociative anesthetic drug. File picture: An Garda SĂochána
Dublin had the tenth highest levels of ketamine in municipal wastewater of all cities tested in Europe, pointing to a possible increasing use of the psychoactive dissociative anesthetic drug.
The Irish capital also had the 15th highest reading for ketamine in wastewater of the cities tested worldwide in 2024 with a daily average of 43.5mg, according to a new European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) study.
Dublin also had the ninth highest level of cocaine found in wastewater samples in Europe and the 19th highest of samples taken worldwide with 875.54 mg per 1,0000 people per day.
It also had the 16th highest levels of MDMA in wastewater of the European cities tested, with a 42mg daily average, which ranked it at the 19th highest level of all cities sampled internationally.
Ireland did not feature in the study’s top 20 list for levels of cannabis (with a 98mg daily average), amphetamine (23.6mg) or methamphetamine (21.6mg).
And Dublin’s municipal wastewater was found to have very significantly lower levels of amphetamine and methamphetamine than in many other cities in Europe and worldwide.
The results were published in the largest European project monitoring illicit drug use through wastewater analysis. The Wastewater Analysis and Drugs — a European Multi-city Study is published by the Europe-wide SCORE group, in association with the EUDA.
Daily wastewater samples were taken from Dublin’s main water treatment plant in Ringsend. The samples were taken from 128 European cities over a one-week period between March and May 2024.
Overall, the study found a rise in MDMA, cocaine and amphetamine detections compared to 2023 across the continent. It also noted a decrease in cannabis detections.
Wastewater samples from some 68.8 million people were analysed for traces of amphetamine, cocaine, methamphetamine, MDMA/ecstasy and cannabis. While rises were seen in the detections of MDMA, cocaine and amphetamine, diverging patterns were observed for methamphetamine and ketamine.
But all six illicit drugs investigated were found in almost every participating city to varying levels.
It is the first time that Ireland, with input from University College Dublin’s School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, participated and it gives authorities good baseline data to measure the influence of future policy, according to Professor Eamon Keenan, HSE national clinical lead of addiction services.
High levels of cocaine found in Dublin is not surprising, Prof. Keenan said.
“Cocaine has been a problem increasing year on year. The treatment figures show a 20% increase in people entering treatment for cocaine in 2023 [compared to 2022]."
But the study's finding that ketamine use was as high as MDMA was more surprising, he said. “It does reflect what we have seen at some of the festivals though, that young people are using ketamine.”
Mental health problems and physical health problems like seizures and bladder issues are now being seen due to ketamine abuse in Ireland, Prof. Keenan said.
