Lifetime, recent, and current drugs use on rise
Lifetime usage — defined as someone who has taken a drug at some stage in their life — has increased for virtually all drugs, with the exception of alcohol and tobacco, which have noticed reductions.
The Drug Use in Ireland and Northern Ireland survey shows “significant” increases in last-year (recent) and last-month (current) use, particularly in relation to drugs such as cannabis, ecstasy, opiates (excluding heroin and methadone), and anti-depressants.
The survey, conducted by the National Advisory Committee on Drugs and Alcohol, was first conducted in 2002/03 and repeated every four years since.
Katy Tobin of Trinity College Dublin said the figures in this survey were “higher” than those in previous surveys, across age groups, genders and frequency of drug use.
The survey shows that lifetime use of any illegal drug has risen from 18.5% in 2002/03, to 27% in 2010/11, to 31% in 2014/15.
This includes rises for cannabis, from 17% in 2003, to 25% in 2011, to 28% in 2015; ecstasy, from 4%, to 7%, to 9%; and cocaine, from 3%, to 7%, to 8%.
For last-year usage, the cannabis figures have risen from 5% to 6% and to 8% in the same time period.
The ecstasy figure fell from 1% to 0.5%, then rose fourfold to 2% in this survey. The cocaine figure has stabilised since 2011, remaining at 1.5%.
In relation to last-month usage, the cannabis figure was stable at under 3% between 2003 and 2011 — but increased to over 4% in this survey.
The ecstasy figure rose ten-fold since 2011, jumping from 0.1% to 1%.
The survey noted a significant reduction in use of new psychoactive substances, formerly known as headshop drugs, from 3.5% in 2011 to under 1%.
This followed the introduction of legislation in 2010, which effectively banned headshops.
Speaking at the launch, minister for drugs and communities Catherine Byrne said she did not think this legislation had led to the increases in cannabis and ecstasy use.
The survey has noted a massive increase in use of “other opiates” — including licit and illicit use of over-the-counter and prescription opiate medicines.
Some 64% of the population has now taken these at some stage in their life, compared to 39% in 2011. Last-year usage was 28% in 2011 and 46% in 2015, while last month usage were 14% and 21% respectively.
Last-year use of sedatives remains at around 6%, while use of anti-depressants rose from 5% to 6%, a trend reflected in last month usage.
A gender breakdown shows that 13% of males have used drugs in the last year, compared to 5% of females, a trend reflected across most drugs. This excludes other opiates (41% male v 51% female), sedatives (4% v 8%), and anti-depressants (5% v 7%).
On last-month use, males were three times more likely to use than females, with the same exceptions.
The survey includes figures for gambling for the first time, with a last year rate of 64% and a last month rate of 41%. The gender difference was far smaller: Last year (66% v 63%) and last month (46% v 36%).
www.health.gov.ie
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