One person died of cocaine overdose every week in 2017, according to latest figures which highlight a rise in deaths related to the drug’s use.
Data released by the Health Research Board (HRB) show 376 people died of drug “poisoning”, or overdose, during the year - 125, or one third, of which involved alcohol.
However, the National Drug Related Death Index shows alcohol alone was responsible for just 61 deaths.
The index also recorded 410 deaths as a result of trauma, defined as instances such as hanging, or medical reasons such as cardiac events among people who use drugs, whether or not the drug had a direct impact on the cause of death.
“A cocktail of drugs was present in three in five poisoning deaths,” said research officer Ena Lynn. “Mixing drugs is known to cause more complications and increases the risk of overdose.” Drug “cocktails” were present in three of five fatal cases.
Source: Mark Hilliard, Irish Times, 12th December 2019
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