1:53pm UK, Monday May 26, 2008

British hospitals are having to deal with soaring numbers of cocaine-induced emergencies, it has been revealed.

Cocaine's popularity has soared

New data show that the number of users of the drug admitted to hospital has more than quadrupled in eight years.

Conversely, the number of patients admitted due to heroin and cannabis abuse has dropped.

Official Government data showed there were 740 health emergencies caused by cocaine in 2006/07, compared with 161 in 1998/99.

The figures indicate the impact of the drug's growing popularity over the last decade.

The data, obtained by Druglink magazine, showed the majority - 629 - were men, and the average age of the patients was 29.

Meanwhile the number of cannabis poisonings fell from 171 to 96 in same eight-year period.

Heroin overdoses also fell from 1,962 to 1,530, and methadone overdoses from 721 to 556, said the magazine, which is published by drugs education charity DrugScope.

Last month it emerged that the number of people admitted to hospital for drug-related problems - including illegal drugs - has rocketed by more than a third in the last five years.

There were 215,447 drug-related hospital admissions in 2006/07 compared with 161,361 in 2002/03, a 34% rise, Department for Health statistics showed.

These hospital figures did not all relate to the effects of illegal drugs; the statistics include incidents involving prescription drugs, toxic detergents and contact with venomous animals.