The 2001 annual report of the European Centre for Drug and Drug Addiction, EMCDDA, notes that Ireland reported a substantial upward trend in drug related deaths in recent years. However, this trend does not appear to have continued in 1999. In 1997 there were 55 drug related deaths in Ireland; there were 99 such deaths in 1998 and 80 in 1999.
Comparisons between countries should be interpreted with caution as not all countries use the same criteria. The drugs misuse research division of the Health Research Board is working with the EMCDDA to apply a new drug related deaths standard definition. The intention would be that this standard definition would be applied across EU member states and thus allow for the comparison of data. The drugs misuse research division has also set up a working group to examine ways of improving the reporting of drug related deaths in Ireland.