Who buys drugs using online sources in Ireland? Findings from the European Web Survey on Drugs

While there have been increasing reports of the use of online methods (such as social media, darknet, and online shops) to buy drugs, there is little evidence on the extent of online markets and who uses them. The aim of this study was to use an online survey sample to estimate the proportion of drug purchasers in Ireland who use online methods to buy drugs by drug type, and to identify predictors of using online methods to purchase cannabis (resin and herb), cocaine, ecstasy, and new psychoactive substances (NPS). Ireland participated in the European Web Survey on Drugs (EWSD), on online convenience survey in 2021. The Irish EWSD was completed by 5,782 respondents aged 18 and over who had used drugs in the last year. Logistic regression models were fitted to identify the sociodemographic, drug use, and drug purchasing predictors of using online methods to buy cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy, and NPS.

Sixty-six percent of the sample (n=3,850) had purchased drugs in the last year, of which 30% stated they mainly used online methods to do so (21% used social media, 9% used darknet, and 3% used online shops). NPS were the drug most commonly purchased using online methods (56%), followed by cannabis resin (31%), cannabis herb (30%), ecstasy (19%), and cocaine (16%). Being male was a significant predictor of purchasing cannabis herb, cannabis resin and cocaine. Younger age was a significant predictor of online purchasing for cannabis herb and cocaine. Purchasing in high quantities was significantly associated with purchasing cannabis herb online.

Online methods, particularly social media, have become a viable option for purchasing drugs in Ireland, especially among younger males. It is important that policy makers consider the emerging influence of online markets on use patterns and supply when devising prevention, education, and harm reduction strategies for young people.