Cocaethylene 'use' may be rising, but is awareness still low?

Update: Cocaethylene brieing paper has since been published - access here.

Cocaethlyne, a unique compound produced by mixing cocaine and alcohol, is reported to significantly increase health risks such as heart attacks or liver damage. However based on anecdotal feedback, cocaethylene is largely unknown by drinkers and even amongst some proffesionals.

With the reported rise in the use of cocaine and cocaine-related A&E admissions, the impacts of cocaethylene probably merits significantly more attention. A recent drug trends study (BBC report here) found that a decline in the quality of street drugs was also increasing levels of poly-use. Martin Barnes, Chief Executive of Drugscope commented:

"The fact that older teens and young adults are increasingly combining substances including  ketamine, cocaine, cannabis and cheap high-strength alcohol is particularly concerning."

However a number of recent local projects have been aiming to raise awareness of cocaethylene. The website www.drinkingwithcharlie.co.uk was recently launched and earlier this year an award winning campaign Cocaethylene - Heart & Soul of the Party? was produced by Nottingham Trent University (downloadable leaflet and poster pdfs). Other campaigns include Southwark's leaflet and poster as an available resource.

A cocaethylene podcast has also been released to help raise understanding of the effects, part of the Hooked harm reduction audio series. Though interesting, I noted the podcast mentions the reported '21 times greater risk of heart attack' claim that is often attributed as an effect of cocaethylene. However having attended a cocaethylene practitioner's training course, drugs trainer Danny McGowan highlighted there was little evidence to corroborate this and more research was needed to explore the extent of increased risk factors. However practitioners should be able to identify and offer appropriate advice and interventions for alcohol and cocaine poly-users.

If you are interested in arranging training on cocaethylene, please contact us through the AERC Alcohol Academy.

Comments

[Nigel Brunsdon]

Thank you very much for mentioning the Hooked podcast and linking through to the show.

The research for that particular episode had identified the increased risk of heart attack from existing information that we had access to.

I agree with Danny that far more research is required into the extent of the risk. As we also mentioned in the show the fact cocaethlyine even has an effect is something which was only agreed by researchers relatively recently, I think this contributes to the lack of available information.

It is important that we continue to raise awareness of this important aspect of substance use.

We are recording an alcohol episode very soon (which knowing you listen I'm now extra nervous about lol) and I'll make sure we add in your/Dannys thoughts to that show if that's ok.