The National Drug-Related Deaths Index (NDRDI) reports on poisoning deaths (also known as overdose), which are deaths in the general population due to the toxic effect of a drug or combination of drugs, and on non-poisonings, which are deaths as a result of trauma, such as hanging, or medical reasons, such as cardiac events, among people who use drugs. The latest figures from the NDRDI show that 376 people died in 2017 from poisoning deaths and that 410 non-poisoning deaths occurred among people who used drugs.

On 15 November 2019, the 33rd British–Irish Council (BIC) summit was held in Dublin, part of which consisted of a ministerial meeting on health and social initiatives that relate to substance misuse. An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar hosted the summit at Farmleigh House in Dublin, with administration heads from Scotland, Wales, the Isle of Man, Jersey, Guernsey, and the British Government.¹

The theme of the 2019 National Drugs Forum was ‘Inclusion Health: responding to complex health needs of people who use drugs’. Opening the forum, Minister of State with responsibility for Health Promotion and the National Drugs Strategy, Catherine Byrne TD, said:

There are people in our society who struggle with health problems but feel isolated and cannot access the help and support they need. Our shared goal must be to reach out and deliver better health outcomes for these people and, in particular, to make our health and social services more inclusive for those in addiction who may also have other complex needs.

Published in November 2019, the latest National Drug Treatment Reporting System (NDTRS) drug bulletin presents trends in treated problem drug use (excluding alcohol) for the seven-year period from 2012 to 2018.^1,2

Drug and alcohol treatment data for 2004–2018 from the National Drug Treatment Reporting System (NDTRS) are now available online through the Health Research Board (HRB) National Drugs Library website at http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/tables/. The NDTRS is a health information system that collects anonymous information about drug and alcohol treatment episodes in Ireland.

Two recent surveys provide an insight into alcohol and drug use among young people in Ireland. My World Survey 2 (MWS-2),¹ developed by University College Dublin (UCD) and Jigsaw, the National Centre for Youth Mental Health, is a comprehensive study of young people’s mental health and wellbeing and a follow-up to the 2012 My World Survey 1 (MWS-1).²

The National Drug Treatment Reporting System (NDTRS) is a national surveillance database on treatment for problem drug and alcohol use in Ireland. In November 2019, the NDTRS published its latest alcohol treatment figures, which cover the seven-year period 2012–2018. Over this period, 54,263 cases were treated for alcohol as a main problem.¹

Introduction

Pregabalin is a prescribed medication licensed in Europe for use in the treatment of epilepsy, neuropathic pain, and generalised anxiety disorder.¹ However, the pharmacokinetic properties of pregabalin, which include its rapid absorption, fast onset of its relaxant and sedative effects, and its reduced withdrawal symptoms, can lead to the potential risk of misuse.

On 26 November 2019, the EU drug markets report was published by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) and the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol).¹ This is the third comprehensive overview of illicit drug markets in the European Union (EU) and, while building on reports published in 2013 and 2016, it provides greater insight and a ‘richer picture’ (p. 7) of the current state of drug markets in the EU.^2,3

An Garda Síochána (AGS) Policing Plan 2019 identifies the main policing concerns for 2019.¹ It is the first of three plans proposed by the new Garda Commissioner, Drew Harris, that will implement the new AGS Strategy Statement, 2019–2021 through numerous initiatives, which will gradually assist AGS to reach its strategic outcomes.² The AGS mission for the duration of the strategy is simply ‘keeping people safe’ (p. 1).²

https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/