Cocaine was a factor in almost a third of all inquests into drug related deaths heard in Dublin city last year, according to statistics released yesterday by the Dublin City Coroner.
Of the 87 inquests into drug related deaths heard at Dublin City Coroner's Court in 2007, pure cocaine toxicity accounted for 14 deaths, while cocaine was a contributory factor in a further 14 deaths.
Pure heroin toxicity accounted for another 14 deaths – an equal number to cocaine. Heroin was cited as a contributory factor in a further 12 drug related deaths.
Methadone also accounted for many of the deaths.
Pure methadone toxicity accounted for 12 deaths, with methadone playing a contributory part in a further 19 deaths.
Multi-drug use accounted for more than a third of deaths in drug-related inquests last year, with 35% of people having consumed a combination of drugs rather than just one drug.
The Dublin City Coroner released these sobering statistics at an inquest into the death of a young mother of two who died of multi-organ failure from cocaine toxicity, after she swallowed damp cocaine.
Marie Fallon, 24, of Gateway View, Ballymun was rushed to the Mater hospital on the morning of 6 June 2006 after suffering numerous seizures and heart attacks. She died the following evening.
In Co Dublin, cocaine was by far the biggest drug killer. Cocaine toxicity was the most common cause of death in more than half of all inquests into drug related deaths last year.
Of the 47 inquests into drug-related death heard at the Dublin County Coroner’s Court in 2007, 26 of them were cocaine related, 16 were heroin related and five were ecstasy related.
