Increase in deaths related to heroin use

HEROIN-RELATED deaths are on the increase, while the number of deaths associated with cocaine use has fallen, according to the latest figures from the Health Research Board.

The figures, published today, show that over a six-year period the number of drug-related deaths increased by more than 50 per cent, from 422 in 2004 to 638 in 2009.

A total of 3,334 drug-related deaths were recorded over the six-year period. Of these, 2,015 were due to poisoning and 1,319 were deaths of drug users arising from traumatic or medical causes, such as death from Aids-related illnesses associated with sharing needles, drug-related liver disease, or accidental death or suicide while under the influence of drugs.

The number of heroin-related deaths rose by 20 per cent to 108 in 2009. Heroin was implicated in 21 per cent of all drug poisoning deaths between 2004 and 2009.

However, alcohol was the most commonly used drug involved in poisonings, having been detected in more than 40 per cent of all poisoning deaths over the period.

In 2009 cocaine was less likely to be the cause of death than in previous years. Over the six-year period cocaine was implicated in just over 14 per cent of deaths. Having reached a peak of being used in 67 poisonings in 2007, it was involved in 52 deaths in 2009.

Methadone was involved in more deaths than cocaine over the six-year period, having been taken by just over 17 per cent of people who had a drug-related death.

The majority of those dying through poisoning were young men, a trend that remained stable over the period. Men accounted for 68 per cent of deaths in 2009. The majority of those who died by poisoning were aged between 25 and 44.

Men accounted for more than 80 per cent of drug users who died from trauma or medical causes.