Drug deaths cause alarm

CALLS have been made to introduce new measures to help reduce drug and alcohol related deaths following publication of alarming statistics earlier this month.

Figures from the Health Research Board report show there were over 630 drug related fatalities in 2012, and a total of 5,289 people have died directly from substance abuse since records began in 2004.

The report found that more than half of the drug related deaths involved a mixture of drugs (poly-drug) – a 60 per cent increase since 2004. Alcohol was involved in one in every three of 350 poisoning deaths and Methadone in one in every four.

Non-poisoning fatalities, which include deaths from trauma like hanging, or medical causes, such as liver disease, increased from 258 in 2011 and 283 in 2012.
The most common medical cause of non-poisoning death was cardiac events (31 per cent) and liver disease (16 per cent).

The detailed report outlines the key contributors to the deaths and is designed to provide evidence for future policy changes in relation to tackling drug use.

“What is clear is that alcohol remains the substance implicated in most poisonings, poly-drug use features in more than half of poisonings and we continue to see an increase in the number of people dying by hanging,

? said chief executive of the HRB, Graham Love.

In its new strategic plan published just before the HRB report, Northside based Ana Liffey Drug Project calls for resources to help it introduce new measures aimed at targeting drug related harm and reducing incidents of overdose, which it says currently claims one life every day.

The Ana Liffey wants to see medically supervised drug injecting centres and is proposing to run a low-threshold residential stabilisation service, which would be the first of its kind in Ireland.

The service would provide treatment for drug users with multiple, complex needs that require immediate specialist support and would cost an estimated

?¬1.5 million to establish.

“It would be Ireland’s first residential stabilisation service of its kind for people with addiction problems, providing the direct access, medical stabilisation, clinical assistance and mental health care that these people need as they present to the service,

? said Ana Liffey director, Tony Duffin,

“In return we are confident that the local community will see a reduction in crime, anti-social behaviour and drug taking in the streets and alleys.

?

Ana Liffey believes the introduction of a supervised injecting centre in Dublin, where addicts can inject safely away from the public’s gaze, would also help reduce drug related harm.

“They are a very successful intervention, with over 90 centres in countries throughout the world,

? said Duffin.

“Not only do they contribute to reducing public injecting and unsafe disposal, they also help people attending to tackle their addictions through dedicated access to treatment programmes.

“Drug use has changed. There is more and more poly-drug use and an increasing number of complex cases. We need to accept, as a society, that it is not realistic to expect to be able to stop all drugs entering the country, or to be able to eliminate problem drug use.

?

Meanwhile, Citywide Drugs Crisis Campaign reacted to the HRB report by reiterating its recent call for the immediate appointment of a junior minister to drive the National Drug Strategy.

“The Minister for Health’s current extensive brief does not allow him the time to give the leadership and drive that is required for the implementation of the National Drugs Strategy,

? a spokesperson said.

“With 12 people dying every week, there can be no excuse for further delay.

“