[Department of Social Studies, Trinity College Dublin]
Abstract
This report outlines the findings of the second in a series of surveys on the inquest files of the Dublin City and County Coroners. The majority of the decedents were young (mean age, 29.73), male (male: female ratio; 8.55: 1), single (75.6%) and unemployed (70.9%). Benzodiazepines were implicated in the highest number of deaths (73.3%). There was a 9.17% increase and an 11.55% decrease in the number of cases proving positive for heroin and methadone respectively. However 90.71% of cases had two or more drugs (mean 3.38) implicated per death.
The increased risk of overdose among those recently released from prison was highlighted and the heightened risk of suicide among opiate users was also discussed
