Ireland fourth highest in Europe for drug deaths

Ireland has a death rate from drugs more than three times above the European average, according to an EU report.

Figures from the EU drugs agency shows the high death rate is concentrated among users under the age of 40.

Ireland’s drug-induced mortality rate is 71 per 1m people, placing us fourth out of 28 EU countries, along with Norway and Turkey. Estonia tops the table, then Sweden and Norway, with the UK in fifth place (60 per million), behind Ireland.