THE NUMBER OF reported overdoses from GHB (also known as G), a drug commonly used during chemsex, has increased by 75% in Ireland.
Fourteen people were treated as inpatients or day patients in Irish hospitals in 2018, up from eight in 2017 and seven in 2016. There are currently no figures available for 2019.
However, experts say the official figure is likely to be a major underestimation. The vast majority of overdose patients present at emergency departments and these numbers are not collated.
The 29 overdoses recorded from 2016 to 2018 may include people who were admitted to hospital more than once after overdosing on GHB. So, it refers to 29 overdoses, not necessarily 29 people.
As revealed by TheJournal.ie earlier this month, there has been a 55% increase in the number of people being referred to Ireland’s only GHB-detoxification clinic.
Seventy-six people were referred to the clinic from January to August, compared to 49 for the whole of 2018. The number of detoxification referrals has jumped from just one in 2014 and five in both 2015 and 2016.
Source: Órla Ryan, The Journal, 23rd September 2019
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