Information on drug testing in prisons from 2005 to 2007 was obtained from the Irish Prison Service byThe Irish Timesunder the Freedom of Information Act.1,2,3 According to this data, more than 20,000 voluntary tests were carried out each year to monitor drug use and responses to treatment. These tests included those carried out on committals (new entries) as well as on existing inmates. It may be assumed therefore that some of the positive test results relate to drugs or alcohol consumed outside the prison. Between one-third and one-half of those screened tested positive for at least one drug. The common metabolites detected indicated use of cannabis, benzodiazepines and opiates (Table 1). It is not clear whether the numbers of positive cases excluded prisoners who were prescribed benzodiazepines; if they do not, these figures overstate the extent of unregulated use of benzodiazepine in prisons. Cocaine and alcohol were detected in a small number of tests. The profile of positive drug tests was similar among prisoners tested in Mountjoy, Wheatfield, Limerick, Midland and Cloverhill prisons. The proportion of positive tests was low in St Patrick’s Institution and in Castlerea and Cork prisons. (Jean Long)