Cocaine on a night out is as common as having a cigarette, according to one man who spoke to Lunchtime Live.
Figures released earlier this year showed a sharp rise in people seeking help for cocaine use.
According to the Health Research Board (HRB), cocaine overtook cannabis as the second most common drug people enter treatment for.
Some 2,560 people sought help for problem cocaine use last year - three times more than the 708 who did so in 2013.
'James' says his friends would take cocaine if they went out for a few pints.
He told Andrea Gilligan: "I think it's rampant in every part of the country - from the rural pubs in west Cork right up to the main nightclubs in Dublin.
"It's in every pub in the country, basically".
"I do know people in my wider circle that if they went out for a few pints, they'd have to have it in their pocket.
"And that's not just my circle of friends, I think it's nearly every sector of society - well, a lot of people I've talked to anyway."
"It comes as part of the night out - it's nearly as common now for lads to ask each other 'are you coming into the toilet for a line' as 'are you coming out to the smoking room for a fag', it's that common now.
"And if you go into any toilet now in any nightclub in Ireland all you can hear is people in the toilets.
"It's fairly obvious and I think people don't try and hide it as much as they used to".
"It's becoming more open, and it's not really looked down upon anymore - which is the worrying thing about it".
James says he has tried it in the past: "That's why now I know the dangers of it and I've tried to educate myself.
"And I can understand how people get caught and get trapped in it and why they keep taking it."
"It's so addictive for people and they probably don't understand it.
"They're not educated to understand the dangers of it long-term, everyone's just kind of short-sighted - living for the weekend - but long-term they're not seeing the dangers it's going to do to their mind and their body."
"What cocaine does it releases dopamine into your brain so you become so happy and high - so there's obviously a come down for every up.
"With people taking cocaine now with that dopamine being released every time unnaturally, it's going to stop you from producing dopamine in your brain naturally", James claimed.
Anyone affected by issued raised in this article can call the HSE Drugs and Alcohol confidential freephone helpline on 1800-459-459 from Monday to Friday between 9.30am and 5.30pm, oe e-mail helpline@hse.ie
