Ireland has seen a “sustained increase” in drug-involved deaths, with 400 dead from drug poisoning in 2020. 

Drug poisoning deaths, also known as overdoses, increased from 340 in 2017 to 409 deaths in 2020. Some eight in 10 deaths in 2020 involving more than one drug. 

Some one in eight were also homeless, while half of all who died suffered mental health issue.  

Health Research Board member Dr Suzie Lyons presented these findings at the third Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs, saying it is important to consider the people behind the numbers. 

“Behind each statistic there is a person and a family left behind,” she said. “The reason I’m here today to present is because of family members affected by drug use.” 

The most common cause of death was opioids and Dr Lyons observed a four-fold increase in cocaine use since 2017.

Citizens' Assembly

The third meeting of the Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs in Malahide focuses on the role of health and community sectors to reduce the harmful impacts of illicit drugs. 

“We're going to look at health-led approaches,” Chair Paul Reid said. “Which has emerged as a very consistent theme about the right way to tackle the issue on drugs.” 

Mr Reid said that more than one person dies every day in Ireland directly due to drugs use further reinforcing Ireland’s status as having one of the highest per capita rates of drugs deaths in Europe.

Included in this weekend's congregation are case studies from Portugal and Austria on health-led strategies to combat illicit drug use. 

Portuguese Health Ministry member Nuno Capaz said Portugal is a young democracy that put in place new drug policies in the 1990s. 

“We decided to treat drugs as a heath issue,” he said. “We decided to remove it from the judicial system, we decided to deal with it as a healthcare issue. 

“You ask scientists, and you ask people who are knowledgeable about it – it's not based on opinions, it’s based on facts.” 

'Cross-party decisions'

Mr Capaz said it’s important that a cross-party decision is made to ensure the strategy remains in place despite the ruling Party. 

“It allowed us to remove the politics out the policy,” he said. “This is really important when you bear in mind that we’re talking about health.” 

The assembly will continue until tomorrow shortly after 1pm and includes discussions about targeted harm reduction and supports for families affected by drug use. 

The assembly will bring recommendations to the Oireachtas at the end of the year regarding the potential decriminalisation of illicit drug use.