The Drug Prevalence Survey records drug use across three prevalence periods, over the last month, over the last year and throughout the respondents’ lifetime across the island of Ireland. In the Republic of Ireland the bulletin is available at www.nacda.ie The Department of Health (NI) has published the above bulletin on drug prevalence in the north of Ireland. It includes analyses broken down by gender and age for each Health and Social Care Trust (HSCT).
Key findings for Republic of Ireland:
Lifetime use
- Prevalence rate for lifetime use of any illegal drug was highest in the East Coast and Northern RDATF areas (both 41%) and lowest in the North Western RDATF (20%).
Last year prevalence
- Cannabis was the most frequently used illegal drug in all RDATF areas in the year prior to the survey and after cannabis, ecstasy and cocaine were the most frequently reported illegal drugs for recent use.
- Cannabis use in the last year by young adults (aged 15-34) has increased significantly in many RDATF regions.
- Recent use of any illegal drug was highest in the South Western RDATF area (12%) and lowest in the Mid-Western RDATF area (5%).
- Recent use of ecstasy in young adults (aged 15-34) has increased in all RDATF areas and significantly so in many areas. The largest increases are seen in the Western and South Western RDATFs.
- Recent use of other opiates was highest in the South Western RDATF area (58%) and lowest in the North Eastern RDATF area (35%).
- Recent use of anti-depressants was highest in the South Eastern RDATF area (9%) and lowest in the Mid-Western and North Western RDATF areas (both 4%).
- Last year alcohol prevalence ranged from 67% in the North Western RDATF area to 83% in the South Western RDATF area.
- Recent tobacco use was highest in the South Western RDATF area (35%), followed by the East Coast RDATF area (34%), and lowest in the South RDATF area (28%).
- The lowest rates of last year use of any illegal drug by young adults (aged 15-34) are seen in the three most southerly RDATFs – Southern, Mid-Western and South Eastern.
Last month use
- Current use of any illegal drugs was also highest in the South Western RDATF area (8%) and lowest in the Mid-Western RDATF area (2%).
- As in previous surveys, males are more likely to take illegal drugs than females, and young adults (15-34) more likely than older adults (35-64).
Key Findings in Northern Ireland:
The Drug Prevalence Survey records drug use across three prevalence periods, over the last month, over the last year and throughout the respondents’ lifetime.
Lifetime Prevalence
- the prevalence rate for use of any illegal drug was highest in the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust (HSCT) (36.4%) and lowest in the Western HSCT (22.3%)
- Cannabis was the main drug of misuse across all Trust areas, with the prevalence rate being highest in the Belfast HSCT (32.1%) and lowest in the Southern HSCT (19.7%)
- the proportion of respondents who had ever taken cocaine in the Belfast HSCT (11.0%) was double that in the Western HSCT (4.9%) and Southern HSCT (5.6%)
- the proportion taking new psychoactive substances in the Belfast HSCT (5.4%) was over five times that of the Southern HSCT (0.8%)
- use of anti-depressants and anabolic steroids was broadly similar across all Trust areas
- the proportion of respondents taking other opiates in the Belfast HSCT (28.6%) was twice that of the Western HSCT (15.2%)
Last Year Prevalence
- there were no significant differences between HSCTs in relation to the use of cannabis, ecstasy, cocaine (including crack), cocaine, amphetamines, new psychoactive substances and heroin over the last year
- the proportion of respondents taking any illegal drug was lowest in the Northern HSCT (4.5%) and highest in the Belfast HSCT (8.8%)
- the proportion who had taken other opiates was highest in the South Eastern HSCT (15.7%) and lowest in the Western HSCT (6.1%)
- there was no significant difference in the use over the last year of anti-depressants, sedatives, anabolic steroids and methadone across HSCTs
Last Month Prevalence
- last month prevalence for any illegal drug was highest in the Belfast HSCT (4.8%) and lowest in the Northern HSCT (1.7%)
- with the exception of new psychoactive substances, there were no significant differences in relation to the use of the listed illegal drugs between Trusts
- no significant differences were found in the prevalence of sedatives or tranquillisers, anti-depressants, anabolic steroids or methadone usage across Trusts
- South Eastern HSCT (8.2%) had the highest consumption level of other opiates while Southern HSCT (2.8%) had the lowest
Division
