In October each year, the Drug Misuse Research Division presents a report on the drugs situation in Ireland to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA).

This report provides an overview of new developments and trends in relation to drugs in Ireland for 2005 and, in some cases, for the first six months of 2006. These are covered under the following headings:

• National policies and context
• Drug use in the population
• Prevention
• Problem drug use
• Drug-related treatment
• Health correlates and consequences
• Responses to health correlates and consequences
• Social correlates and consequences
• Responses to social correlates and consequences
• Drug markets

It also examines three specific issues considered to be important at an EU level: gender differences; European drug policies extended beyond illicit drugs; developments in drug use within recreational settings.

The 2006 National Report to the EMCDDA by the Reitox National Focal Point. Ireland: New developments, trends and in-depth information on selected issues is available from: www.emcdda.europa.eu/attachements.cfm/att_41371_EN_ie.pdf

For further information, visit the EMCDDA website at www.emcdda.eu.int.