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:
- Annual reports These reports are an overview of new developments and trends in the drugs area in Ireland.
- 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
- Policy documents Irish & EU Drug, alcohol and tobacco policy documents
- Prevalence figures Surveys of the general population to estimate the number of people in Ireland who use drugs and alcohol
- Treatment figures The National Drug Treatment Reporting System (NDTRS) collects anonymous data about people in drug and alcohol treatment.
- 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