1914. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the number of people who have been diagnosed with cannabis use disorder, CUD; if there has been a rise in CUD diagnoses over the past ten years; the supports that are in place to support people with CUD; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39176/23]

Minister of State at the Department of Health Hildegarde Naughton: The National Drug and Alcohol Survey (NDAS) is funded by the Department of Health and managed by the Health Research Board. The first survey was conducted in 2002/03 and repeated every four years, in 2006/7, 2010/11, 2014/15, and 2019/20.

The NDAS presents findings from a survey of a randomly selected, representative sample of households throughout Ireland. People aged over 15 years, are asked about their drug use on a lifetime (ever used), last year (recent use) and last month (current use) basis.

Cannabis use disorder (CUD), as recorded in the NDAS, is defined as any cannabis abuse or dependence in the 12 months prior to survey.

The fifth NDAS survey 2019/20, published in June 2021, showed that while cannabis is the most prevalent illegal drug in Ireland, the use of cannabis has decreased from 6.5% to 5.9% when compared to the 2014/15 survey.

The prevalence of CUD in 2019/20 was 1.2%, representing 45,000 of the Irish population; this included 0.5% with cannabis abuse and 0.6% with cannabis dependence. The prevalence of CUD was 1.6% for males and 0.8% for females. The highest prevalence was observed among 15 to 34-year-olds (2.8%). Of those who had used cannabis in the last year, 19.6% met the criteria for CUD, including 19.0% of male and 20.9% of female cannabis users.

The prevalence of CUD among 15 to 64-year-olds increased substantially between the 2010/11 and 2014/15 survey, from 1.5% to 3.0%, and decreased in 2019/20 to 1.4%. A decrease in CUD was particularly apparent among males and 15 to 34-year-olds.

In 2022, there were 2,245 cases treated for problem drug use where cannabis was the main drug. This compares to 2,439 cases in 2016. Cannabis is the main drug generating treatment demand among cases aged 19 years or less.

There is a comprehensive range of drug services providing supports for people affected by cannabis use disorder, including community-based services coordinated by drug and alcohol task forces and the HSE. Further information on the risks associated with cannabis use and the services available for those affected can be found on drugs.ie Cannabis - Drug and Alcohol Information and Support in Ireland - Drugs.ie

We cannot be complacent about the risk to health posed by illicit drugs. That is why the Government is following a public health approach to drug use, that will lead to better outcomes for individuals and society.