Latest news with #Rutland
Sunday World
a day ago
- Health
- Sunday World
Women using cocaine as ‘low fat alternative' to alcohol sees sharp rise in drug use
'loophole' | 'There's a lot more stigma and shame for women entering treatment' . According to the Rutland Centre rehab clinic's 2024 annual report, a 'growing national crisis' has evolved through the use of cocaine in this country. While children are storing cocaine in their school lockers, the centre's head of clinical services, Emma Kavanagh, described how young women feel like cocaine will not impede their weight-loss journeys or progress in the gym. 'If they were to use alcohol, it would negatively affect those things,' she also told 'So, cocaine is nearly kind of a loophole to get a buzz without having to ingest additional calories.' . News in 90 Seconds - Tuesday, July 29 Cocaine accounted for 23 pre cent of all admissions last year to the private rehab clinic, the new figures reveal. This is up from 17 per cent in 2023 and is 'one of the sharpest single-year increases the Rutland Centre has recorded for any substance', the Dublin-based centre warned. Rutland CEO Meave Mullany told RTÉ Radio how women traditionally face more barriers to entering treatment than men. 'There's a lot more stigma and shame for women entering treatment,' she said. 'There's a lot more considerations around childcare, around family life, so they tend not to come forward for treatment as frequently or as often as men do. Ms Mullany said according to people coming in for treatment cocaine is 'literally everywhere'. 'It's in the lockers, it's in school, it's after sport,' she said. 'We even hear from clients coming into treatment that there's an app that people can use to order it by drones,' she remarked. In response to this crisis, the centre has announced plans to open a dedicated inpatient detox unit later this year. Read more More than 200 people received intensive treatment through Rutland's residential and outpatient programmes in 2024, as staff answered more than 16,800 calls and facilitated over 11,000 aftercare attendances. According to the Health Research Board's latest drug treatment figures, cocaine is now the most common problem drug among new treatment cases, accounting for over 30% of all new presentations, and overtaking cannabis for the first time. Men made up two-thirds (66 per cent) of those treated at the Rutland Centre in 2024, with women accounting for 34 per cent. The age group with the most people seeking help was those aged 25 to 44, who represent more than half of all clients. 'These figures highlight the age and gender realities of addiction in Ireland today, with younger adults and men continuing to face particularly acute risks,' the facility said in a statement. The Rutland report also revealed that 94 per cent of residential clients completed the full treatment programme, while 89per cent of those who moved into aftercare remained in active recovery. Many former clients attribute Rutland their life-changing recovery to the Rutland with one former client, Chris, saying that when he arrived four years ago, he was 'completely broken'. 'The 35 days in the house was the hardest of my life. I finally had to face me. 'Now I look back and recovery hasn't just been about sobriety, it's about growing up and reconnecting with the people I love.' He added: 'Halfway through, I wanted to leave, I wanted to run – but that same night something clicked, no one else was going to do this for me. I needed to show up for myself. What's happened since still blows my mind.'
Extra.ie
a day ago
- Health
- Extra.ie
Jarring spike in women using cocaine as low fat alcohol alternative
Cocaine use is surging among women, with many using it as a low-fat alternative to alcohol, one of Ireland's leading rehab centres has said. The Rutland Centre rehab clinic yesterday published its 2024 annual report, warning of a 'growing national crisis' as cocaine replaces other drugs. The centre's head of clinical services, Emma Kavanagh, described how children are storing cocaine in their school lockers and said there's even an app being used to have it delivered by drones. Cocaine use is surging among women, with many using it as a low-fat alternative to alcohol, one of Ireland's leading rehab centres has said. Pic: Getty Images She also told at the report's launch: 'Young women feel like cocaine is not going to derail their weight-loss journeys or their progress in the gym. 'If they were to use alcohol, it would negatively affect those things. So cocaine is nearly kind of a loophole to get a buzz without having to ingest additional calories.' Cocaine accounted for 23% of all admissions last year to the Rutland, a private rehab clinic, up from 17% in 2023. Ms Kavanagh told 'I think in generations gone by, you would have seen cocaine as a much more of a middle-class drug, and we're not seeing that now. The Rutland Centre rehab clinic yesterday published its 2024 annual report, warning of a 'growing national crisis' as cocaine replaces other drugs. Pic: Shutterstock 'We're seeing it being used right across social stratospheres; there is a real kind of blurring of lines around that. It does seem to be becoming much more prevalent in women.' She added: 'I think it's an attractive drug for women, and young women in particular, and some young men are very body-conscious, like we're in a society that's very obsessed with how we look, what we weigh, how many wrinkles we have… that's kind of the joy or the misery of social media.' The centre, in Knocklyon, Co. Dublin, has not yet released data on female admission for drug use, but said in a statement yesterday that treatment for cocaine in 2024 was 'one of the sharpest single-year increases the Rutland Centre has recorded for any substance'. Staff answered more than 16,800 calls and facilitated over 11,000 aftercare attendances, underscoring the scale of need in Irish society. Pic: Getty Images Rutland CEO Meave Mullany explained how women traditionally face worse barriers to entering treatment than men do. 'There's a lot more stigma and shame for women entering treatment. There's a lot more considerations around childcare, around family life, so they tend not to come forward for treatment as frequently or as often as men do,' she told RTÉ Radio 1. Regarding cocaine, Ms Mullany said that 'you hear from people that are coming in from treatment that it's literally everywhere'. She said the drug is in schools across Ireland. 'It's in the lockers, it's in school, it's after sport. We even hear from clients coming into treatment that there's an app that people can use to order it by drones,' she remarked. In response to this crisis, the centre has announced plans to open a dedicated inpatient detox unit later this year. While more than 200 people received intensive treatment through Rutland's residential and outpatient programmes in 2024, the centre engaged with thousands more through aftercare, free screening clinics and family support services. Staff answered more than 16,800 calls and facilitated over 11,000 aftercare attendances, underscoring the scale of need in Irish society. According to the Health Research Board's latest drug treatment figures, cocaine is now the most common problem drug among new treatment cases, accounting for over 30% of all new presentations, and overtaking cannabis for the first time. Men made up two-thirds (66%) of those treated at the Rutland Centre in 2024, with women accounting for 34%. The age group with the most people seeking help was those aged 25 to 44, who represent more than half of all clients. 'These figures highlight the age and gender realities of addiction in Ireland today, with younger adults and men continuing to face particularly acute risks,' the facility said in a statement. The Rutland report also revealed that 94% of residential clients completed the full treatment programme; 89% of those who moved into aftercare remained in active recovery; and 59 people accessed the centre's Stabilisation Group following relapse, with over half successfully returning to mainstream recovery. Personal stories also featured strongly in the report, with many former clients crediting Rutland with life-changing recovery. One former client, Chris, said: 'When I arrived four years ago, I was completely broken. The 35 days in the house was the hardest of my life. I finally had to face me. 'Now I look back and recovery hasn't just been about sobriety, it's about growing up and reconnecting with the people I love.' Regarding his recovery process, he added: 'Halfway through, I wanted to leave, I wanted to run – but that same night something clicked: no one else was going to do this for me. I needed to show up for myself. What's happened since still blows my mind.'
BBC News
4 days ago
- BBC News
Man dies after car crashes into tree in Ketton
A man in his 30s has died after the car he was travelling in left the road and crashed into a tree in Police was called at 19:20 BST on Friday after a single-vehicle crash involving a black Vauxhall Astra in Ketton Road, between Ketton and North officers arrived the man had been pulled from the car and the vehicle was alight, police was pronounced dead at the scene, the force added. Det Sgt Jack Cornick said: "We have an account from one witness, but we know this black Astra was driving behind another car."I'd like to speak to the driver of that car to see whether they have any helpful information about the collision."I'd also like to speak to anyone who saw the Astra as it was leaving Ketton and who may have dashcam footage of the car."Any small piece of information may be helpful."
Mint
5 days ago
- Business
- Mint
FTA to bring modest dip, not a steep dive, prices of UK spirits
NEW DELHI : Indian consumers hoping for the prices of their favourite UK whiskies to drop dramatically after the free-trade agreement need to temper their expectations. The India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), officially signed this week, will reduce the current 150% customs duty on spirits by half to 75% once the agreement comes into force, with a further reduction to 30-40% over the next 10 years. This applies to both 'bottled-in-origin' (BIO) spirits and bulk imports used by Indian manufacturers for blending with Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL). The UK wines and beers are exempt from the deal. Industry analysts and company executives suggest the immediate impact on retail prices will likely be modest, with reductions estimated between single digits and 10-15%, largely because import duties currently make up only 10-15% of the total shelf price. Margins still key to retail price 'While this (reduction in duty) is a notable move, its impact on retail prices will be modest in the near term," said Naveen Malpani, partner and consumer & retail industry leader at Grant Thornton Bharat. 'Import duties contribute only a fraction of the final price, with state excise, logistics, and distributor margins forming a large share of consumer cost." Grant Thornton Bharat estimates retail price drops in the range of ₹100–300 per bottle (8–10%) for premium Scotch. Also Read: India-UK FTA uncorks new promise for imported scotch and gin Ardent Alcobev Pvt Ltd, which sells Dram Bell—a blended Scotch whisky, bottled in origin—said the move is 'positive" and will enhance accessibility and affordability for Indian consumers. "The real benefit will depend on how quickly the duty reductions are implemented and whether the states align their tax structures accordingly," said Debashish Shyam, co-founder and director. 'While the final impact on retail pricing will vary by state due to local excise structures and channel margins, this duty reduction has the potential to bring down consumer prices by 10–15% over time." In a state like Maharashtra, for instance, where Dram Bell is already priced competitively—only marginally above premium IMFL—this development could further narrow the price gap and enhance accessibility. New markets for smaller players The move is also helping smaller players get into the market. 'This move will dramatically reduce cost for us and shake up the market, making entry and access easier," said Nishant Sharma, founder of Rutland, a UK-based spirits company that sells gin and rum bottled in Scotland. Once in full effect, a bottle of the brand's gin could cost ₹4,000 from ₹6,000. 'Launching a product like ours into the Indian market is a huge cost, because of the 150% duty. This gives us a small crack to enter the market," he said. Also Read: ITC bets on new growth engines, expands food-tech and wellness play The company sells its brand via airports with plans to expand in the top cities by later this year. Scotch dominates imports India, one of the world's largest alcohol markets, sells over 400 million cases of Indian alcoholic spirits annually. Yet imported spirits–bottled in origin and bulk bottled in India–account for 2.6 % of the total market. The imported category is dominated by whisky, with Scotch being around 81% of the overall imports of 9.9 million cases of alcoholic spirits, according to estimates by International Spirits and Wines Association of India or ISWAI. To be sure, 79 % of the Scotch imported into the country is in bulk form, which is used for bottling in India and for blending by local brands of whisky in the IMFL category. William Grant & Sons, Allied Blenders & Distillers and Bacardi declined to offer comments on the development. "Customs duty as part of the total MRP is hardly 20%, and if that even comes down by half, the MRP won't change dramatically. It won't immediately and dramatically change prices for everyone," said an industry executive speaking to Mint on the condition of anonymity. Also Read: Nestlé India Q1 profit falls on higher input, finance costs The person quoted above expects a single-digit percentage drop in prices. Pricing is also dynamic and dependent on how the pound fares next year, freight costs, etc. Meanwhile, the change could take a few months. Impact on Indian makers The FTA needs to be ratified by both parliaments, then notified in custom schedules, earliest by January 2026, said a spokesperson for spirits company Radio Khaitan. However, for Indian liquor makers, the duty reduction on bulk Scotch imports provides some advantage. "We export a lot of IMFL into the Middle East, Africa—for them, there are a lot of big benefits. The move will improve the quality of our IMFL exports," the person quoted earlier told Mint.
BBC News
6 days ago
- Science
- BBC News
Rare Lesser Emperor dragonfly spotted in Rutland
A rare dragonfly has been photographed at a nature reserve in enthusiast Tony Clarke captured the image of a Lesser Emperor at Rutland Water Nature Reserve on 13 and Rutland Wildlife Trust said the only previous photo of the species in the area was taken in 2023 - of a dead specimen being eaten by a first recorded sighting of the Lesser Emperor in the county was in 2003, with only seven sightings documented to date. Ian Merrill, a dragonfly recorder for Leicestershire and Rutland and a member of the British Dragonfly Society, said the species was best described as a "generalist" due to its broad habitat species was considered to be a "rare vagrant" to the UK from Europe, but has become a regular migrant across much of the country since about has been recorded breeding in several counties, including Northamptonshire and Merrill said: "The first appearance of the Lesser Emperor in Leicestershire and Rutland in 2003 was therefore not unexpected, when a male was present at Priory Water, in Melton, between 15 and 26 July."More surprising was the appearance of another male at the same site between 1 and 7 August 2004." Subsequent sightings include males at Willesley in Ashby-de-la-Zouch (2007), Frisby Gravel Pits (2009), and Rutland Water (2012).Although the species has "consolidated its presence" in the UK, Mr Merrill said it remained an "unusual occurrence" in the county and that its presence was "inextricably linked to climate change".
