Trauma, such as a car crash, caused two-thirds of deaths among drug users between 1998 and 2005 with medical causes like cardiac events, respiratory infections and liver disease accounting for the other third.
In the first piece of research of its kind, the Health Research Board (HRB) reported 885 drug users died during the seven-year period.
Senior HRB researcher, Dr Suzi Lyons, said most of the deaths were very premature, involving people aged between 20 and 40. She added many deaths by hanging or drowning had positive toxicology results for antidepressants as well as other drugs.
“The presence of antidepressants suggests that a proportion of these cases may have had mental health problems. There should be dual diagnosis. People should be treated for mental illness and substance misuse. In Ireland there is a separation between treatment for mental health and substance misuse.”
Males in their 20s accounted for most of the 476 deaths due to trauma. Hanging accounted for one-third, a road traffic accident caused one-in-five and in half of those incidents the deceased was the driver. In 85.6 per cent of deaths by trauma there was a positive toxicology report. In many cases more than one substance was present.
Cannabis was the illegal drug most commonly found. Alcohol was present in almost two-thirds of cases. Cannabis, heroin and cocaine were found in the greatest proportions in deaths due to violence. Esctasy was found most in deaths due to road traffic crashes.
Given the numbers driving at the time of death, Dr Lyons said Ireland needed a reliable system of roadside testing for the presence of drugs in the body.
About Greg Baxter
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A study by the UK Dept. of Health suggests that 75% of users of drug services and 85.5% of users of alcohol services experienced mental health problems, and 44% of mental health service users reported drug use.
(Weaver et al, 2002)
It is nearly impossible to access services in Ireland if you have a dual diagnosis. In 2004 ) the NACD reported
• 76% of services failing to offer a specific service for people with dual diagnosis
• Dual Diagnosis not clearly understood or formally recognised
• Service models used aligned to organisations rather than complex needs of people with dual diagnosis”
“Mental health & addiction services and the management of dual diagnosis in Ireland” National Advisory Committee on Drugs 2004.