Keeley and colleagues¹ recently published the results of their analysis of data collected in 26 schools in Cork and Kerry from a cohort of 2,716 adolescents aged 15–17 years. The data were collected using the ‘Lifestyle and Coping Questionnaire’ designed specifically for the Child and Adolescent Self-harm in Europe (CASE) study, which contains questions on a number of psychological domains including drug and alcohol use. Two questions were added to the standard questionnaire regarding parental substance misuse: ‘Has your mother had problems with alcohol/drugs?’ and ‘Has your father had problems with alcohol/drugs?’

According to its annual report,¹ the National Poisons Information Centre (NPIC) received 9,816 enquiries in 2013. Of these, 9,520 (97%) were about human poisonings. The remaining calls concerned poisonings in animals (0.7%) and non-emergency requests for information (2.3%). Calls were evenly distributed over the week, with an average of 27 calls every day and the busiest time being between 6pm and 9pm.