Ireland has one of the highest levels of drug-related deaths in Europe, according to a United Nations report on the global drug market.
It shows that Ukraine, Iceland and Ireland experienced some of the highest mortality rates in Europe, with over 100 drug-related deaths per million inhabitants aged between 15 and 64.
These figures are twice the European average, although the report says some countries may be significantly underestimating the number of deaths.
The World Drug Report 2011 by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime also shows that while the heroin problem is stabilising in most European countries, prevalence rates appear to be increasing slightly in Ireland and Sweden. However, opiate use is still more prevalent in the UK and almost twice as prevalent in eastern European countries such as Latvia and Estonia.
Source: Carl O'Brien, The Irish Times, 24/06/2011
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