With the growing population of abusing prescription medication, many areas of drug use have seen a decline in the use of illegal drugs such as heroin and cocaine. In the United Kingdom, however, some areas are seeing unexpected growth in the use of cocaine.

According to a Sunday Sun article, Sunderland has been named the cocaine capital of the North. Findings have revealed that addicts in this city are far more likely to use cocaine than other narcotics. In fact, 28 percent of these addicts claim cocaine is the their drug of choice.

While this city is on a growth pattern where use is concerned, it does not claim the number one spot in terms of users in all the UK. Sunderland has the third highest figure in the UK behind Havering in London and Knowsley on Merseyside, which claims 34 percent of all users are addicted to the white powder drug.

Gatehead and Newcastle are two other cities that have high percentages of users, with 16 percent and 12 percent of addicts respectively saying they use cocaine as their primary drug. Many of these individuals also mix with other drugs and alcohol.

These figures were captured by the NHS’s National Treatment Agency and are based on the number of those who turned to them for help in overcoming their addictions between 2008 and 2009.

Throughout the country, 12,354 people were last year treated for cocaine addiction in England in that time frame. Six months later, four in 10 addicts were clean. In all, 7,666 people were treated for a range of drug addictions in the North East and Cumbria.

The largest number of people who sought treatment in centers in Newcastle was 863. Cumbria came in at a close second with 844. In London and the North West, the highest number of individuals sought help, with 16,354 in the North West and 18,022 in London.