Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Ireland has one of the highest drugs overdose rates in the EU, with more than one person dying of an overdose every day.

Today is International Overdose Awareness Day.

The Ana Liffey Drug Project is calling on the Government to provide more supports for drug users.

This morning the HSE will launching its report on the Naloxone Demonstration Project, which saw hundreds of opiate users receiving a take-home version of the drug, which acts as an antidote for opioid overdoses.

Tony Duffin, Director of the Ana Liffey Drug Project, wants the medication rolled out countrywide and says much more can be done to help drug-users.

“We have lobbied for supervised injection facilities for people who inject in public,” he said.

“That group is at very high risk of overdose. Through our work we see people we know well passing away tragically. We go to many, many funerals, and we really want to do more to end that.”

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