More than one person dies every day in Ireland directly due to drugs use

That's the message heard at the third meeting of the Citizen's Assembly on Drug Use taking place today

Photo via The Citizens' Assembly on Drugs Use on Twitter

Ireland has seen a ''sustained increase'' in drug-involved deaths since 2017.

That's the message heard at the third meeting of the Citizen's Assembly on Drug Use taking place in Malahide, Dublin today.

Drug-involved deaths have increased from 340 in 2017 to 409 deaths in 2020 with 8 in 10 deaths in 2020 involving more than one drug.

The Chairperson of the Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs Use, Paul Reid, has said these figures are a wake up call for our country.

Mr Reid said that more than one person dies every day in Ireland directly due to drugs use.

Ireland has  one of the highest per capita rates of drugs deaths in Europe.

He said such statistics are a strong reminder to Assembly members of the urgent need to produce meaningful and effective recommendations that will help reduce the devastating harm caused by illicit drugs use.

Mr Reid commented, “The HRB statistics show that it is not only heroin that is a key factor in these deaths but also methadone, powder cocaine, crack cocaine, benzodiazepines and other prescription drugs. Poly-drug use is clearly a huge part of the problem, and dual diagnosis seems to feature in half of the deaths.

“This is all grim news. When the problem is shifting rapidly we need equivalent change in our approach to national policy and delivery of necessary services.