According to the Health Research Board’s (HRB) latest bulletin (Drug poisoning deaths in Ireland in 2022), 343 drug poisoning deaths were recorded in Ireland in 2022. This represents an 8% decrease on 2021 (373 deaths). It is the second consecutive year that these deaths have fallen.

Rise in cocaine - Cocaine was the second most common drug overall in 2022. It was involved in one in three drug poisoning deaths that year. In 2022, 8 in 10 deaths involving cocaine also involved other drugs, most commonly heroin, methadone and other prescription drugs. Between 2013-2022 cocaine poisoning deaths increased by 259%, the largest increase of any drug group*.

The people behind the statistics - In 2022, the median age was 45 years for men, and 46 for women. Two in five people had a history of mental health issues. Almost one in two were alone when the poisoning occurred. Almost one in ten were injecting at the time of death. At least two in five were not in employment; most were living in stable accommodation; almost half lived in Dublin (city or county); and more than one in 10 were experiencing homelessness.

Drug poisoning deaths in men versus women - Men account for the majority of drug poisoning deaths, similar to previous years. Cocaine was the top drug implicated and was involved in two in five of male deaths in 2022. Cocaine was followed by methadone, alprazolam and diazepam. For women, methadone was the top drug involved in poisoning deaths in 2022, when it was implicated in three in ten of these deaths. Methadone was followed by diazepam and pregabalin. Most heroin deaths (82%) were among men. Gabapentinoid/antiepileptic drugs, including pregabalin, were implicated in a greater proportion of deaths among women, as were antidepressants.

Opioids and other drugs - While cocaine and heroin were the main illicit drugs implicated in drug poisoning deaths in 2022, the majority involved prescribable drugs. Almost 8 in 10 poisonings involved more than one drug. The most common drugs involved were methadone, diazepam, alprazolam, pregabalin, and Zopiclone. Opioids accounted for two in three deaths. Methadone was the most common opioid, and most deaths involving methadone were polysubstance poisonings. Methadone increased 31% between 2013 and 2022 but decreased 19% between 2020 and 2022. Heroin also decreased 11% over the period 2013 to 2022, with a notable decrease of 36% between 2020 and 2022.

Alcohol-related deaths - In 2022, alcohol was implicated in one in five deaths, along with other drugs. Alcohol as part of polysubstance poisoning decreased 26% between 2020 and 2022.

NOTES

*The main drug groups are opioids, benzodiazepines, cocaine, antiepileptic/gabapentinoids, and antidepressants. 

The Health Research Board (HRB) is Ireland’s lead funding agency supporting innovative health research and delivering data and evidence that improves people’s health and patient care. We are committed to putting people first, and ensuring data and evidence are used in policy and practice to overcome health challenges, advance health systems, and benefit society and economy. Drug poisoning deaths in Ireland in 2022 is the latest annual bulletin from the HRB’s National Drug-Related Deaths Index (NDRDI). It presents data on drug poisoning deaths in Ireland in 2022, with key trends for the period 2013 to 2022.

Drug poisoning deaths are deaths due to the toxic effects of one or more substances. Included in this bulletin are poisoning deaths due to illicit drugs such as cocaine and the use or misuse of prescribable drugs such as alprazolam.

Using data from four sources (closed coronial files, the General Mortality Register, the Central Treatment List, and the Hospital In-Patient Enquiry system), this bulletin presents information on the number of poisoning deaths and mortality rates, the drugs implicated, the circumstances of the deaths (location, place, and context), and the characteristics of the people who died.

Drug poisoning deaths are preventable deaths and NDRDI data provide the evidence base for policy and other measures to reduce these deaths in Ireland.