Drug use in Ireland
National Report on Drug Issues: Ireland 2009
This report is an overview of new developments and trends in the drugs area in Ireland for 2008 and, in some cases, for the first six months of 2009. These are covered under the following headings:
- Drug policy: legislation, strategies and economic analysis
- Drug use in the general population and specific sub-groups
- Prevention
- Problem drug use
- Drug-related treatment: treatment demand and treatment availability
- Health correlates and consequences
- Responses to health correlates and consequences
- Social correlates and social reintegration
- Drug-related crime, prevention of drug-related crime and prison
- Drug Markets
Alcohol and Drug Research Unit 2009 National Report (2008 data) to the EMCDDA by the Reitox National Focal Point. Ireland: new developments, trends and in-depth information on selected issues. Dublin: Health Research Board
Opiate Use
The latest estimates (2006) indicate that there are 11,807 opiate users aged 15-64 years known to services in Ireland and an estimated 8,983 users were engaged with services (hidden population). These estimates therefore suggest that there were between 18,136 and 23,576 problem opiate users in Ireland in 2006; the point estimate was 20,790.
National Advisory Committee on Drugs - Kelly, A et al, (2006) A 3-Source Capture Recapture Study of the Prevalence of Opiate Use in Ireland 2006, Dublin
Cocaine Use
This bulletin provides a comprehensive overview of many different aspects of cocaine use in Ireland and Northern Ireland. It presents data gathered in the All-Ireland Drug Prevalence Survey 2006/2007 relating to both cocaine powder and crack cocaine use on a lifetime (ever used), last year (recent use), and last month (current use) basis. The bulletin also examines age of first use, regular use, and method of taking cocaine, ease of obtaining cocaine, reasons for stopping use, perceptions of risk and the profile of cocaine users.
National Advisory Committee on Drugs (NACD) & Public Health Information and Research Branch (PHIRB)
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Polydrug Use
This bulletin presents key findings on polydrug use (the use of more than one substance within a specific time period). It presents data collected in the All Ireland Drug Prevalence Survey 2006/2007 relating to polydrug use on a last month (current use) basis. The bulletin also examines gender and age differences and the relationship between the use of a particular substance and the use of another substance
National Advisory Committee on Drugs (NACD) & Public Health Information and Research Branch (PHIRB)
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Drug use in RDTF areas
In 2008, the NACD published (National Advisory Committee on Drugs 2008) a bulletin outlining drug prevalence data for 2006/7 by Regional Drug Task Force (RDTF) area. It shows the use of illegal drugs was lowest in the north-west and highest in the east of the country.
National Advisory Committee on Drugs (NACD) & Public Health Information and Research Branch (PHIRB)
