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Welcome
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Overview of alcohol and other drug use among children and young people in Ireland
by Anne Doyle
This 2022 overview analyses prevalence, trends, and harmful consequences of alcohol and other drug
use among children and young people aged 15–24 years in Ireland.1 The overview is a collation of
published literature (both Irish and international), data from national information systems, and
survey data specifically focusing on young people or where the survey or publication included young
people. The overview also examined potential risk and protective factors that may influence
substance use, along with responses to substance use and policies and legislation that govern
alcohol and drug use in Ireland.

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Policy
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The cannabis policy debate
by Lucy Dillon
Changes in cannabis control are apparent in the Americas and more recently in Europe. These changes
are not without their challenges. They have the potential to undermine the value of international
laws and agreements more broadly. Where the motivation for changing policy is to reduce the harms
caused by the status quo, the situation will need to be closely monitored and evaluated to ensure
these outcomes are being achieved. Any unintended negative outcomes will also need to be monitored
and minimised with the rollback or amendment of policies as necessary. A rigorous evidence base will
be required to support these decisions. Reducing the harms will need to remain central to the
policymaking and legislative process, and not be usurped by the business interests of the cannabis
industry.

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Overview of 65th session of Commission on Narcotic Drugs
by Lucy Dillon
CND is the central drug policymaking body of the UN. It aims to provide member states and civil
society with the opportunity to exchange expertise, experiences, and information on drug-related
matters and to develop a coordinated response to the drugs situation. Membership is made up of
representatives from 53 UN member states, allowing for a spread of geographical representation.
Ireland is not currently a member of CND.

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In brief
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The recently published Health Research Board overview on substance use among young people included
some encouraging trends in relation to alcohol consumption. The age at which people start to drink
has increased and more adolescents are abstaining from alcohol. In this issue of Drugnet, the
overview’s lead author reviews recent international literature on the topic of changing alcohol
consumption behaviour. Explanations for these changes include increased parental awareness of the
harms associated with early initiation of alcohol use, a greater emphasis on wellbeing among young
people, and more time spent socialising online resulting in fewer opportunities to consume alcohol
with peers.

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Recent research
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Gambling in Ireland: profile of treatment episodes from a national treatment reporting system
by Ita Condron
A new Health Research Board (HRB) study examines 3,000 cases treated for problem gambling in Ireland
between 2008 and 2019.1 The study published in May 2022 in the Irish Journal of Psychological
Medicine is the first Irish national study using routinely gathered health surveillance data to
describe treated problem gambling.

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Decline in alcohol use among young people: potential consequences for public health policy,
legislation, and discourse
by Anne Doyle
Alcohol is the most commonly used drug by young people, with adolescents traditionally using alcohol
as a rite of passage to adulthood. A key period for experimentation and risk-taking, it is also a
particularly risky time to do so, not only because of the impact alcohol can have on the developing
brain but also due to early alcohol initiation increasing the risk of hazardous and harmful drinking
in the future.1–4

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Associations between mental health, alcohol consumption, and drinking motives during Covid-19 second
lockdown in Ireland
by Anne Doyle
The Covid-19 pandemic, declared in March 2020, has had a profound impact on the lives of people
worldwide, particularly on mental health, as lockdowns resulted in lost incomes, health fears, and
isolation, all of which are risk factors for increased mental health problems and alcohol use.
Alcohol use as a response to stressful life events increases an individual’s risk of developing
alcohol problems.1 In addition, it weakens the immune system, which in turn reduces immunity to
viral infections such as Covid-19.2,3 Studies carried out earlier in the pandemic indicated that
older people were more likely to have increased their alcohol use, with stress and depression cited
as reasons for the increase.4,5 A cross-sectional study in Ireland aimed to determine the drinking
motives and changes in alcohol use later in the pandemic during the second lockdown, in
October–December 2020, along with psychopathological symptoms.6

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Exploring serious and organised crime across Ireland and the UK
by Ciara H Guiney
In March 2021, the Azure Forum for Contemporary Security Strategy, with the support of the British
Embassy in Dublin, launched a report examining serious and organised crime in Ireland and the United
Kingdom (UK).1 The aim of this report was to conduct a qualitative assessment of information that
was publicly available about serious and organised crime to determine how criminality occurs across
and between Ireland and the UK. The report considers methods and activities that make up serious and
organised crime along with the wider criminal markets where criminal behaviour takes place. It
focuses on three issues: human trafficking, drug trafficking and economic crime.

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Global Burden of Disease – what the data tell us and how to address it
by Anne Doyle
Alcohol consumption in Ireland is high. It is approximately 35% higher than the Health Service
Executive (HSE) low-risk drinking guidelines1 and is associated with a considerable burden of health
and social harm, with the the Health Research Board's National Drug-Related Deaths Index (NDRDI)
reporting three alcohol-related deaths daily in 2017.2 Effective policy decision-making relies on
robust evidence of the health impact of alcohol, and one source of such evidence is the Global
Burden of Disease (GBD) study.

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Prevalence/current situation
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Drug treatment in Ireland, 2015–2021
by Ita Condron
Published in June 2022, the latest National Drug Treatment Reporting System (NDTRS) report presents
trends in treated problem drug use (excluding alcohol) for the seven-year period from 2015 to
2021.1,2

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Adolescent Addiction Service report, 2022
by Seán Millar
The Adolescent Addiction Service (AAS) of the Health Service Executive (HSE) provides support and
treatment in relation to alcohol and drug use for young people and families from the Dublin suburbs
of Ballyfermot, Clondalkin, Palmerstown, Lucan, and Inchicore. Services provided include advice,
assessment, counselling, family therapy, professional consultations, and medications if required. In
2022, AAS published a report detailing referrals for 2021.1

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An Garda Síochána annual report, 2020
by Ciara H Guiney
In January 2022, An Garda Síochána (AGS) published their annual report for 2020.1 This article first
reports on activities related to national policing, followed by national security and intelligence,
community safety, and finally statistics for detections of incidents related to the sale and supply
of drugs and Garda drug seizures for 2020.

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European Drug Report, 2022
by Brian Galvin
The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) published the European drug
report 2022: trends and developments1 on 14 June 2022. The purpose of this report is to provide an
overview and summary of the European drug situation up to the end of 2021. The Health Research Board
(HRB) provides the Irish data and research for the EMCDDA report.

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Drug and alcohol misuse among people on probation supervision
by Ciara H Guiney
On 11 November 2021, Minister for Justice Helen McEntee TD launched the report Informing and
supporting change: drug and alcohol misuse among people on probation supervision in Ireland.1,2,3
The report was written by Dr Louise Rooney of University College Dublin.2 The study built on
research examining alcohol and drug misuse in individuals referred for probation supervision in
2011/12.4 The aim of the current research was to examine the prevalence of alcohol and substance
misuse in similar subjects with the view to developing best practice and to help manage and
prioritise Probation Service resources.2

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Responses
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IDPC e-course on decriminalisation
by Lucy Dillon
The International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC) is a global network of 192 non-governmental
organisations.1 It focuses on issues related to drug production, trafficking, and use, promoting
objective and open debate on the effectiveness, direction, and content of drug policies at national
and international levels. The network supports evidence-based policies that are effective at
reducing drug-related harm.

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DOVE Service, Rotunda Hospital annual report, 2020
by Seán Millar
The Danger of Viral Exposure (DOVE) Service in the Rotunda Hospital, Dublin was established to meet
the specific needs of pregnant women who have or are at risk of blood-borne or sexually transmitted
bacterial or viral infections in pregnancy. Exposure may also occur through illicit drug use.
Figures from the service for 2020 were published in the hospital’s annual report in 2021.1

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Prison visiting committees annual reports, 2020
by Seán Millar
A visiting committee is appointed to each prison in Ireland under the Prisons (Visiting Committees)
Act 1925 and the Prisons (Visiting Committees) Order 1925. Members of the 12 visiting committees are
appointed by the Minister for Justice for a term not exceeding three years. The function of prison
visiting committees is to visit, at frequent intervals, the prison to which they are appointed and
hear any complaints that may be made to them by any prisoner. They report to the Minister for
Justice regarding any abuses observed or found, and any repairs which they think are urgently
needed. Prison visiting committee members have free access, either collectively or individually, to
every part of the prison to which their committee is appointed. Information from prison visiting
committee reports relating to drug use in prisons for 2020 is summarised below.1

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AcoRN webinar: alcohol availability – research design and data
by Anne Doyle
The UK–Ireland Alcohol Research Network (AcoRN) held the third in a series of webinars on 13 April
2022 examining alcohol availability. Previous webinars focused on alcohol marketing (November 2021)
and alcohol and policymaking (February 2022). The event was chaired by Dr Sheila Gilheany of Alcohol
Action Ireland and the three speakers gave an insight into alcohol availability both in Ireland and
in the United Kingdom.

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Recent publications
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Recent publications
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