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Misuse of Drugs

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 June 2020

Tuesday, 23 June 2020

Questions (557)

Seán Crowe

Question:

557. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Health if he will consider including nitrous oxide use in their surveys conducted by his Department on recreational drug use in Ireland in view of the increasing unauthorised use and dangers it presents to those that use it recreationally. [12590/20]

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Written answers

The National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) in the USA considers Nitrous Oxide as an inhalant which covers solvents, aerosols and gases found in household products. It is legitimately used as an anaesthetic in medical and dental situations and in the catering industry.

The HSE has alerted young people about the danger of using nitrous oxide through a media release in January, it has updated content on Drugs.ie outlining the effects and risks associated with nitrous oxide use, and produced an advice booklet for parents on how to talk to young people about the risks associated with drug and alcohol use.

The Prevalence of Drug Use and Gambling in Ireland and Drug Use in Northern Ireland is a survey of over 7,000 randomly selected people, aged 15 years and over, and asks them about their drug use, on a life time (ever used), last year (recent use), and last month (current use) basis.

The survey is carried out according to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) standards. Data from the previous surveys allow trends and comparative analysis between surveys to inform policy decisions and service delivery.

Fieldwork and data collection for the most recent 2018/19 Drug Prevalence Survey is completed, and the first results are due to be reported in late 2020.

The HSE collaborated with Trinity College Dublin to conduct an online survey of 1,000 people, in 2019 on drug trends among Irish festival attendees. This included a specific question on nitrous oxide. The results of the study are due to be published soon.

The Department of Health co-operates and exchanges information on a continuous basis with the EMCDDA and other international fora about emerging trends in drug use and collaborates in studies and information sharing regularly.

‘I’m aware of the reported increase in nitrous oxide use. This is a dangerous substance that may lead to serious health effects. It’s important that we increase awareness of the health risks associated with nitrous oxide misuse among young people, parents and youth organisations.’

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