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Welcome
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Drug-related deaths and deaths among people who use drugs in Ireland, 2008-2017
by Ena Lynn
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.

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Policy
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British–Irish Council in Dublin
by Lucy Dillon
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

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National Drugs Forum 2019
by Brian Galvin
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.

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Prevalence
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Drug treatment in Ireland 2012–2018
by Cathy Kelleher
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

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NDTRS drug and alcohol treatment data for 2004–2018 available online
by Cathy Kelleher
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 [link removed] [
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]. The NDTRS is a health information system that collects anonymous information about drug and
alcohol treatment episodes in Ireland.

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Alcohol and drug use among young people and adolescents in Ireland – results from My World and
Growing Up in Ireland surveys
by Claire O'Dwyer and Deirdre Mongan
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

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Alcohol treatment figures from the NDTRS, 2012–2018
by Ita Condron
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

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Repeated cross-sectional study of factors associated with pregabalin-positive poisoning deaths in
Ireland
by Ena Lynn
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.

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EU drug markets report, 2019
by Ciara H Guiney
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

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An Garda Síochána Policing Plan, 2019
by Ciara H Guiney
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

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Responses
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Recording of migrant and ethnic identity in the European Treatment Demand Indicator
by Britta Thient
In November 2019, a study on registering ethnicity and migration in the European Treatment Demand
Indicator (TDI) registry was published in the Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse.1 According to
international evidence, migrants and ethnic minorities (MEM) are a subpopulation who are both
disproportionately affected by drug use and disadvantaged in accessing treatment. However, as the
study author notes, data on treatment demand of MEM in Europe are currently limited. The study (a)
discusses the importance of recording migration and ethnicity in the TDI along with its risks; (b)
analyses current treatment trends from the 2014 national TDI reports; and (c) draws on survey
responses from 19 national TDI focal points to identify indicators used and to make recommendations
for improvement.

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Seminar on increasing engagement of Travellers within addiction services
by Suzi Lyons
Pavee Point Traveller and Roma Centre held a seminar on increasing the engagement of Travellers
within the addiction services on 13 November 2019.1 The aim of the seminar was to improve engagement
between Travellers and State agencies, present examples of positive work and models of good
practice, and identify key recommendations in relation to Travellers and problem drug use in
preparation for the review of the current national drugs strategy.

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European Prevention Curriculum Handbook
by Lucy Dillon
The European Prevention Curriculum (EUPC) is a programme of training, the primary goal of which is
‘to reduce the health, social and economic problems associated with substance use by building
international prevention capacity through the expansion of the European professional prevention
workforce’ (p. 10).1 It originated as an American training programme, the Universal Prevention
Curriculum (UPC), and underwent a rigorous adaptation process to ensure its suitability for the
European context.2 The latest output from this work is the EUPC Handbook, published by the European
Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA).1,3

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National Drug Prevention and Education Forum
by Lucy Dillon
On 13 June 2019, a National Drug Prevention and Education Forum was held in Dublin. The forum was
the first event organised by the Drug and Alcohol Education Workers Forum (DAEWF), a network of
prevention and education workers in Ireland. The network was set up to pursue joint pieces of work
in the field and to promote a more integrated and best practice approach to prevention and education
in Ireland.

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EUSPR conference – promoting multidisciplinary work in prevention
by Lucy Dillon
The 10th Conference of the European Society for Prevention Research (EUSPR) was held in Ghent,
Belgium, during 16–18 September 2019. EUSPR was established to promote ‘the development of
prevention science, and its application to practice so as to promote human health and well-being
through high quality research, evidence based interventions, policies and practices’.1

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New publications
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Recent research added to the HRB National Drugs Library website
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HRB National Drugs Library
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HRB National Drugs Library – Find the evidence
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