Ireland has emerged on top for EU drug deaths according to newly-released figures this week.
According to the European Drug Report 2024, which was released this week by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), Ireland has more drug-related deaths per capita than any other EU member state – four times the EU average.
In 2020, Ireland saw 97 deaths per million people, compared to the EU average of 22.5.
Comparatively, other Western European countries had significantly lower death rates, such as Germany (30), the Netherlands (26), and Belgium (21).
Notably, in overall numbers, Ireland’s drug poisoning death rate increased significantly from 258 in 2017, to 322 in 2020 – an increase of 64 deaths per year. Opioid drugs such as methadone and heroin are understood to have been involved in 87% of deaths.
Asked about these figures, a Department of Health spokesperson told Gript that the development was “serious”.
“The increased number of drug-related deaths in 2020 (409; +20% or 69 deaths on the 2017 figure) is a serious public health concern,” they said, adding that monitoring drug-induced deaths is an “important objective of the National Drug Strategy.”
“To reduce drug-related deaths, the Department of Health is developing integrated care pathways and harm reduction responses for high-risk drug users, who have complex health and social needs that make them vulnerable to drug overdose,” the spokesperson continued.
“It is a strategic priority under the national drugs strategy to enhance access to, and the delivery of, drug services in the community. Additional investment is increasing the availability of drug services for those who need them.”
The Department said that over €130 million a year is allocated to the HSE for the provision of addiction services, and that in Budget 2024, €4 million was provided to expand drug services in the community.
“Over the last four years, a particular emphasis was placed on the provision of medication to be used in Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST),” they said.
“HSE Addiction services are now providing Opioid Substitution Therapy to almost 1,000 more individuals than at the end of January 2020.”
They added that the HSE has expanded the naloxone programme as an antidote to drug overdose.
“Between 2018 and 2020 naloxone was administered to 569 people. Of these, 98% survived the overdose and it was estimated that 22 lives were saved,” they went on.
“…Naloxone resources for people and families who are supported by HSE services, including two demonstration videos, are available at drugs.ie/resources/naxalone.”
Notably, last year saw an unprecedented level of overdoses in Ireland due to a surge in synthetic “nitazene” opioid drugs in circulation.
LAB-MADE OPIOIDS: There was an unprecedented level of overdoses in Ireland last year due to a surge in synthetic drugs being circulated according to the HSE.#gripthttps://t.co/2hZ5ZAWeNW
— gript (@griptmedia) January 4, 2024
Nitazenes first rose to the attention of authorities in Ireland in small quantities in 2022, but last year their impact increased significantly. The drug was associated with 57 overdoses in Dublin alone, and 17 more in Cork.
Moreover, in mid-December last year, a number of Irish prisoners were found to have overdosed on the potent drug fentanyl, leading to concerns that the notorious drug had been imported into the country.
Fears that killer drug Fentanyl is now in Ireland after prison overdoses https://t.co/dyNzB1FJ2v
— Irish Independent (@Independent_ie) December 15, 2023