Home > Dail Eireann debate. Written answer 1281 - Drugs-related deaths [38981/17].

[Oireachtas] Dail Eireann debate. Written answer 1281 - Drugs-related deaths [38981/17]. (11 Sep 2017)


1281. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of drug deaths in each of the past ten years by type of drug in each case. [38981/17]

 

Minister of State at the Department of Health (Deputy Catherine Byrne): The National Drug Related Deaths (NDRDI) index is an epidemiological database administered by the Health Research Board which records cases of death by drug and/or alcohol poisoning and deaths among drug users and those who are alcohol dependent. The Health Research Board published a report on the NDRDI in December 2016, which shows deaths up to 2014, the latest year for which data is available. The number of poisoning deaths categorised by drug group between 2004 and 2014 are set out in the following table:

 

Multi-response: Poisoning deaths categorised by drug group, NDRDI 2004 to 2014 (N = 3,864) 

-

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

All poisoning deaths* 

266

301

326

387

386

372

340

377

358

397

354

Opiates† 

131

159

183

190

219

236

190

260

224

251

249

Benzodiazepines

77

79

116

123

123

136

131

251

174

238

228

Alcohol 

125

116

113

172

155

143

152

142

129

140

115

Antidepressants 

54

53

43

48

87

67

67

99

90

121

120

Other prescription meds § 

43

42

41

63

62

60

77

90

103

142

190

Stimulants (exc NPS) ᵮ 

32

46

62

84

68

56

22

35

38

46

55

Non-opiate analgesics 

13

23

11

19

18

16

15

21

23

30

33

New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) 

0

0

0

0

0

5

6

8

8

30

23

Others/Unknown‡ 

7

23

21

23

31

42

31

30

28

36

25

 

This is a multi-response table taking account of up to six drugs. Therefore numbers in columns may not add up to totals shown, as individual cases may have more than one drug implicated in their death.

 

  † Includes heroin, methadone, morphine, codeine, unspecified opiate-type drug, other opiate analgesic.

  • Includes non-benzodiazepine sedatives, anti-psychotics, Z drugs(e.g. zopiclone), barbiturates, cardiac and all other types of prescription medication (e.g. pregabalin).

  ᵮ Includes cocaine and MDMA.

  ‡ includes solvents, insecticides, herbicides, other amphetamines, hallucinogens and other chemicals.

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