Northern Ireland drug misuse database (DMD)

The Northern Ireland drug misuse database (DMD) was established on 1 April 2000. Responsibility for the management and development of the DMD lies with the Drug and Alcohol Information and Research Unit (DAIRU) within DHSSPS.

The DMD collects information on problem drug users presenting to services for the first time, or for the first time in six months or more. The database holds information about problem drug users who present for treatment at various agencies. By 31 March 2007, the agencies contributing to the database included 48 treatment services, 25 statutory, 21 non-statutory and two prisons.

The provision of this information is a voluntary exercise requiring client consent. The information is recorded for research purposes and will help to improve services to drug misusers and inform education programmes aimed at young people. Data presented in the statistical bulletin are based on analysis of DMD forms with consent. DAIRU makes an online publication of the DMD available from its website after it has received ministerial clearance.

Number of DMD forms analysed by Health and Social Services Board (HSSB) area and prisons, 2001-2007

	Year
HSSB area / prison	2001/02	2002/03	2003/04	2004/05	2005/06	2006/07
Eastern	471	603	665	812	908	744
Northern	158	189	164	255	153	176
Southern	34	125	136	145	136	132
Western	253	357	337	386	307	334
Prisons	-	94	107	148	162	78
Total number of DMD forms with consent	916	1,368	1,409	1,746	1,666	1,464
Total number of DMD forms	969	1,438	1,527	1,907	1,754	1,559

Distribution by age and sex, 2001-2007

	Year						Year
Age of male	2001/02	2002/03	2003/04	2004/05	2005/06	Age of male	2006/07
15 years and under	65	124	137	106	105	Under 18 years	129
16-19 years	87	183	225	220	251	18-21 years	229
20-25 years	179	246	289	343	284	22-25 years	162
26-29 years	117	150	126	159	162	26-29 years	171
30-39 years	173	218	215	337	272	30-39 years	289
40 years and over	60	96	72	154	128	40 years and over	145
Total	681	1,017	1,064	1,319	1,202		1,125

	Year						Year
Age of female	2001/02	2002/03	2003/04	2004/05	2005/06	Age of female	2006/07
15 years and under	19	35	53	34	38	Under 18 years	36
16-19 years	33	61	65	63	74	18-21 years	35
20-25 years	46	74	70	86	91	22-25 years	31
26-29 years	33	29	40	51	48	26-29 years	48
30-39 years	66	85	65	86	83	30-39 years	90
40 years and over	38	54	52	106	130	40 years and over	99
Total	235	338	345	426	464		339

The main drug of misuse is the drug which is causing the client the most problems at the time they present themselves to the agency for treatment.

Main drug of misuse of individuals presenting for treatment, 2001-2007

Main drug of misuse	2001/02	2002/03	2003/04	2004/05	2005/06	2006/07
Cannabis	311	640	727	810	821	667
Ecstasy	87	116	106	123	80	58
Cocaine	21	62	68	126	150	147
Crack Cocaine	6	4	3	3	4	8
Heroin	196	209	172	237	173	145
Methadone	2	3	8	-	-	-
Methadone/buprenorphine	-	-	-	27	9	9
Other opiates	126	124	106	96	62	87
Benzodiazepines	55	88	97	182	233	198
Codeine and paracetamol	-	-	-	41	35	59
Other hallucinogens	-	-	-	1	0	3
Barbiturates	0	0	1	-	-	-
Amphetamines	3	12	19	19	10	22
Other stimulants	10	17	32	25	41	27
Solvents	59	48	46	34	30	11
Other drugs	40	45	24	22	18	23
Total	916	1,368	1,409	1,746	1,666	1,464

A further four subsidiary drugs can be recorded on the DMD form. The figures for "all drugs" include all drugs recorded either as the main or a subsidiary drug.

All drugs of misuse of individuals presenting for treatment, 2001-2007

All drugs of misuse	2001/02	2002/03	2003/04	2004/05	2005/06	2006/07
Cannabis	523	899	980	1,119	1,074	890
Ecstasy	243	433	428	479	435	419
Cocaine	112	204	233	323	399	432
Crack Cocaine	24	25	34	46	37	41
Heroin	221	253	217	284	214	188
Methadone	5	22	17	-	-	-
Methadone/buprenorphine	-	-	-	49	35	21
Other opiates	253	259	219	216	121	148
Benzodiazepines	216	307	303	438	458	430
Codeine and paracetamol	-	-	-	77	71	97
Other hallucinogens	3	6	2	65	71	55
Barbiturates	-	3	4	-	-	-
Amphetamines	56	69	69	76	46	83
Other stimulants	84	152	172	202	235	171
Solvents	76	88	93	76	78	35
Other drugs	91	117	103	54	44	74
Total	916	1,368	1,409	1,746	1,666	1,464

Further analysis of data in this report includes the following:

treatment history of those presenting;
the route of administration for main drug of misuse;
the age first injected;
shared equipment;
current injectors;
offer of test for HIV;
hepatitis B and hepatitis C status;
record of hepatitis B vaccination;
living arrangements;
employment status;
referral details;
legal status.

The first results from Northern Ireland's drug misuse database for 2000-2001 were not published, but subsequent reports are available on request by contacting DAIRU. Copies of these publications may be obtained from DAIRU or at www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/index/stats_research/stats-pubs.htm
Comments or queries regarding the data contained in these publications should be addressed to DAIRU.

References

Drug and Alcohol Information and Research Unit (DAIRU). Statistics from the Northern Ireland Drug Misuse Database: 1 April 2006 - 31 March 2007. Statistics bulletin. Belfast: DHSSPS, 2007. Available at www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/statistics-from-ni-drugs-misuse-database-01april06-31march07.pdf accessed 29 October 2007.

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