DUBLIN, Ireland – November 2016: Commissioned by the National Advisory Committee on Drugs and Alcohol (NACDA) in Ireland and the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in Northern Ireland, the bulletin “Prevalence of Drug Use and Gambling in Ireland and Drug Use in Northern Ireland” presents the key findings from the fourth drug use survey of households in Ireland and Northern Ireland conducted from August 2014 to August 2015. The survey results are based on responses from 7,005 people in the Republic of Ireland and 2,511 people in Northern Ireland aged 15-64 years.

With regard to new psychoactive substances (NPS), a decrease in the last year use of NPS was reported among respondents in Ireland aged 15 to 64 dropping from 3.5 per cent in 2010/11 to 0.8 per cent in 2014/15. In Northern Ireland, last year use of NPS is also reported to have declined from 1.0 per cent in 2010/11 to 0.3 per cent in 2014/15. Specifically, last year mephedrone* use was reported to have decreased in Northern Ireland from 1.1 per cent in 2010/11 to 0.5 per cent in 2014/15 among people aged 15 to 64.

*Mephedrone has been under international control as of November 2015.

For more information, please see:
Ireland and Northern Ireland Bulletin - Prevalence of Drug Use and Gambling in Ireland and Drug Use in Northern Ireland