The most reliable measure of the prevalence of use of drugs is the British Crime Survey (BCS). In 2008/09, the latest full year for which data are available, the proportion of respondents aged 16 to 59 reporting the use of cocaine on at least one occasion in the last year was 3.0 per cent. For cocaine powder, the figure was 3.0 per cent. and for crack cocaine 0.1 per cent.
Data from the 1998 BCS show that 1.3 per cent. of respondents reported the use of cocaine in the last year (1.2 per cent. cocaine powder; 0.1 per cent. crack cocaine).
Following sharp increases in cocaine use recorded during the late 1990s, the level of use has remained broadly stable since 2000, although the rate of increase between 2007-08 and 2008-09 is statistically significant.