An average of seven people die every week from a drug overdose, according to a new report.
The Health Research Board says there were a total of 376 deaths due to poisoning in 2017.
Alcohol was a factor in a third of the cases, while heroin contributed to 77 deaths. The report also found cocaine-related poisoning deaths is on the rise, increasing from 42 in 2016 to 53 the following year.
Prescribable drugs were implicated in 253, or two in every three, poisoning deaths. Benzodiazepines were the most common prescription drug group.
A cocktail of drugs was present in 3 in 5 poisoning deaths, with an average of four different substances taken.
Researcher Officer at the HRB is Ena Lynn;
"More than one person died from overdose each day in 2017. They would typically have been male, aged in their 30’s or 40’s and taking a mixture of drugs, many of which are legal, such as methadone, alcohol, or benzodiazepines."
While there were 410 deaths as a result of medical causes or trauma among people who use drugs (non-poisonings).
