Chemist shop drugs involved in one-third of fatal overdoses
Friday November 07 2008
Over-the-counter and prescribed drugs such as anti-depressants and painkillers are involved in almost one third of all fatal overdoses, a new report reveals.
Benzodiazepines, diazepam, painkillers and other legal drugs have been identified as frequent factors in deaths.
And the use of solvents is highlighted as a specific risk to young people.
One in every three deaths in this category is a child under 14 and 70pc of deaths are of people aged under 19.
A wide-ranging study released yesterday shows that almost 2,500 people died as a result of drug use over an eight-year period between 1998 and 2005.
It emerged that benzodiazepines contribute to more overdoses than alcohol, anti-depressants and other prescription drugs. They are sometimes used alone but also as part of narcotic cocktails.
Painkillers
Dr Suzi Lyons of the Health Research Board (HRB) said: "As we can see, illegal drugs are involved in many drug-related deaths.
"However, prescribed drugs and over-the-counter medication, such as anti-anxiety drugs, anti-depressants and painkillers are frequently involved in such deaths, either alone or in conjunction with illegal drugs.
"For example, benzodiazepines, often combined with an illegal substance, have contributed to almost one in every three deaths by poisoning (overdose)."
Statistics from the National Drug-Related Deaths Index (NDRDI) shows Ireland has the fourth highest rate of overdoses across Europe after Estonia, Denmark and Luxembourg, more than twice the European average. But this has been attributed to the strong system of reporting drug deaths here, which is much more comprehensive than in other countries.
Overall, drugs deaths have grown from 178 'poisonings' (overdoses) in 1998 to 232 in 2005.
'Non-poisonings', where a person dies as a result of drug use, such as from AIDS after sharing needles or a heart attack following cocaine use, increased from 64 in 1998 to 168 in 2005.
Over the whole period, 2,442 people were recorded as having died directly or indirectly from drug use -- 1,553 which were overdoses and 889 which are indirectly caused.
Most overdoses were caused as a result of the person taking a number of different drugs and were usually among people aged between 20 and 24. Heroin accounted for one in every five deaths.
Cocaine was implicated in the deaths of 100 people, most of which also involved other drugs.
Since 2003, the number of fatal overdoses outside Dublin has exceeded those in the capital.
"The evidence that we have gathered indicates that the most significant response required is in relation to overdose, both addressing the root cause and developing actions to deal with potential overdose cases in a more proactive manner," said Dr Lyons.
Yesterday also saw the release of a report from the European Monitoring Committee on Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), which shows that cocaine use continues to rise and heroin has stabilised after declining.
- Shane Hickey
