Drug use in Ireland

€600 million - the value of the Drugs Market in 20131

786 people Died from Drugs in 2017   Between 2004–2017 there have been 8,995 drug-related deaths: 4,974 (55%) were due to poisoning 4,020 (45%) were non-poisoning.

19,875 - estimated number of  Opiate users in Ireland

7.8% of the adult population (aged 15–64) have tried cocaine at least once

Key Irish Data

The HRB National Drugs Library  provide key Irish research and data in relation to drug & alcohol use.  The following information is available:

  1. Annual reports   These reports are an overview of new developments and trends in the drugs area in Ireland.
  2. Drugs factsheets  These factsheets contain information on treatment, prevalence, mortality and crime in Ireland for these drugs: Alcohol, Opiate, Cocaine, Sedatives & Tranquillisers,  Cannabis and Young people, drugs and alcohol
  3. Policy documents  Irish & EU Drug, alcohol and tobacco policy documents
  4. Prevalence figures  Surveys of the general population to estimate the number of people in Ireland who use drugs and alcohol
  5. Treatment figures  The National Drug Treatment Reporting System (NDTRS) collects anonymous data about people in drug and alcohol treatment.
  6. Drug Related Deaths  The National Drug-Related Deaths Index (NDRDI) is a database of cases of death by drug and alcohol poisoning, and deaths among drug users and people who are alcohol dependent.  In the fourteen year period 2004–2017 a total of 8,995 poisoning deaths and deaths among drug users met the criteria for inclusion in the NDRDI database. The number of deaths increased by 82% during this period, from 431 in 2004 to 786 in 2017.

 1 Drug market figures are calculated using Garda seizure figures for 2013 and the UNODC multiplier method for interception rates