The rate of treatment for drug use outside the Eastern Region Health Authority almost trebled between 1998 and 2002, according to a new study.
The finding adds weight to claims that drug use in Ireland is becoming an increasing problem outside the cities.
The Health Research Board (HRB) study shows the rate of new cases in the seven health board areas increased from 25 per 100,000 of the population in 1998 to 70 per 100,000 in 2002.
The South Health Board area recorded the highest incidence with 71 per 100,000, followed by the South Eastern Health Board area with 66 per 100,000.
Dr Jean Long of the HRB's Drugs Misuse Research Division attributes the rise to a combination of factors including an increase in drug use, greater availability of treatment services and a rise in the number of centres reporting cases to the National Drug Treatment Reporting System.
The study found the number of people reporting cannabis as their main problem drug trebled from 392 in 1998 to 1,328 in 2002. Treatment for opiates, such as heroin, rose sharply from 116 in 1998 to 439 in 2002, while treatment for cocaine rose seven fold from six to 42.
Dr Long said the figures represented a "considerable rise" and al;though the overall number in some cases may be small "the rate of increase indicates the early stages of high usage in these health board areas".
The number of cases in treatment who reported injecting drugs also trebled from 96 in 1998 to 284 in 2002.
Drug users who inject are have a substantially higher risk of contracting blood-borne viral infections and experiencing overdose compared to non-injectors.
Dr Long said: "This points to a need for drug treatment services in the study area to continue to take a proactive approach to prevention, harm reduction and treatment interventions that target blood-borne viruses like HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C as well as opiate-related overdoses."
She also highlighted the 7 per cent increase in the number of under 18-year-olds being treated for drug use, saying "those under 18 years old require different approaches to treatment".
The study follows the release of Garda crime figures yesterday which show a 30 per cent fall in the number of convictions for the possession of drugs for supply or sale.
Fine Gael TD Mr Fergus O'Dowd said: "I would be very much encouraged if it was the case, that the number of people misusing drugs was falling; however, all evidence available suggests that drug misuse is on the rise."
Mr O'Dowd said: "A 30 per cent drop in drug convictions would have to be matched by a substantial fall in the numbers misusing drugs; however, everyone involved in this area is only too aware that this has not been the case.
"It is clear that cocaine abuse, in particular, is growing rapidly. This is a fact, which has been highlighted by government agencies such as the National Advisory Council on Drugs.
"It is naturally worrying if our justice system is failing to crack down on those who are dealing drugs to vulnerable young people or in disadvantaged communities," Mr O'Dowd added.
