Cocaine use among middle-class women on rise

Number of women seeking cocaine treatment doubles in two years

The number of middle-class women seeking help for their addiction to cocaine has jumped by nearly 50% in two years, according to NHS figures.

The Class A drug epidemic saw 2,923 women and girls ask for help last year alone, which amounts to eight women per day.

Further figures from the Ministry of Justice reveal that since 2002, there has been nearly a five-fold increase in the number of women cautioned by police for being in possession of cocaine. As reported, cocaine use among middle-class couples has significantly increased with the more affluent counties Thames Valley, Hertfordshire and Sussex seeing the highest number of cautions for cocaine possession among women.

Martin Barnes, chief executive of the charity DrugScope, commented: ‘Cocaine was traditionally seen as a glamorous drug, usually associated with a wealthy or jet-set lifestyle.

'While the drug has become cheaper and more available in the last decade, it has unfortunately kept some of this so-called glamorous image.’

When quizzed about the type of drug user seeking help, drug treatment experts stated they saw a large number of professionals.

Critics have accused high-profile celebrities, such as Kate Moss, Amy Winehouse and Jodie Kidd, of fuelling the problem, after being exposed for using the drug but never punished.

Adrian Rides, a drug addiction recovery expert for New Choices, said: 'It is only in the last five years that cocaine has become as popular as it is and people are starting to get into trouble with it. Most of the people I work with are entrepreneurs, bankers, musicians - basically successful and dynamic people.’

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