Prescription drugs now account for three-quarters of deaths from overdoses.
New figures from the Health Research Board show there were 736 drug-related deaths in 2016 – an increase of more than a third in a decade.
Deaths involving heroin and cocaine have seen a fall – but there’s been a big rise in cases linked to antidepressants and other prescription medications.
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Merchants Quay Ireland CEO Paula Byrne says addiction’s destroying more users physical and mental health.