Health « Thurles Information

Citizens’ Assembly Expected To Liberalise Current Laws On Illegal drugs.

There was a total of 45 drug driving offences detected in Co. Tipperary so far this year, despite fewer Garda checkpoints; the latter checkpoint reductions due to severe weather conditions; incidents such as traffic collisions; thefts and domestic disturbances.
Garda checkpoints are down some 27% from the 2,580 conducted over the same period last year.

Even more worrying we learn is the fact that the Irish Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs Use is expected to agree on recommendations to liberalise laws around possession of sales of common illegal drugs.
This is despite opposition to this same liberalisation from the Gardaí; the Chief Medical Officer and some medics; latter who claim that the liberalising of current drug laws will lead to more widespread drug use and will not help combat the stigma surrounding this issue.

The Irish Citizens’ Assembly (Irish: An Tionól Saoránach) is a convocation established in Ireland, back in 2016, to consider several political questions including the ‘Constitution of Ireland’; ‘abortion’; ‘fixed term parliaments’; ‘referendums’; ‘population ageing’ and ‘climate change’ with reports expected to be produced on the aforementioned topics.

Should the ‘Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs Use’ recommendations now be implemented, it is widely believed that the current existing major drugs problem will create an even more widespread drugs issue. Same would see individuals, families and communities being ravaged by addiction, previously never before experienced in this island, not to mention the serious crimes anticipated; same committed by those addicted; in order to fund their existing drug habit.

Same liberalisation it is believed will result in increased overall health problems, with lives destroyed, parent unable to take care of their children, and an overall decline in the way we live our daily lives, with the overburdened tax payer, once again, picking up the tab for required addiction drug treatment, medications, e.g. Methadone, Naltrexone (Vivitrol) etc, plus the necessary comfort, over-the-counter medications, suggested by GP’s, all readily available without a prescription and also commonly abused.

The Irish Citizens’ Assembly will not and must not be allowed to take the place of the majority of the law abiding, Irish voting public.

Use Of Cannabis In Ireland Is Of Huge Concern.

The chief medical officer Professor Breda Smyth has warned that the use of cannabis in Ireland is of huge concern.

Professor Smyth speaking at the fifth meeting of the ‘Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs Use’, stated that one in five adult cannabis users will become dependent on the drug, and one in three young persons are likely to become addicted, if they continue to use the drug as little as just once a week.

Professor Smyth stated, that the strength of cannabis potency, has increased by 57% in the 10 years from 2011-2021, with people using the drug often on a daily basis.
Some 45,000 people with cannabis-use disorders, is show in the latest data available, with those under 18 years of age accounting for 80% of new presentations to cannabis addiction treatment services, making it now a significant public health problem here in Ireland.

Professor Smyth confirmed that there were 409 drug-induced deaths in 2020, with drug-related hospitalisations accounting for approximately 53,000 inpatient bed days, each year, and a steady increase in admissions to psychiatric services, all associated with drug-related causes.

She continued by stating that the profile of drug users in Ireland has changed significantly over the last 30 years and while it can affect everyone, from all social classes across Ireland; it in particular, affects most severely, those in deprived areas of our society.

Undeclared Egg In Batch Of Dunnes Stores Simply Better Italian Calabrian Salami.

Allergen: Egg

Product Identification: Dunnes Stores Simply Better Italian Calabrian Salami & Sausage Pizza; pack size: 510g.

Batch Code: L.A. 23236; with best before date: 05/24.

Consumers Take Note:
The above batch of Dunnes Stores Simply Better Italian Calabrian Salami & Sausage Pizza was mispacked with Dunnes Stores Simply Better Italian Piccante Pizza.

This product contains egg which is not declared in the list of ingredients.
This may make the batch unsafe for customers who are allergic to or intolerant of eggs.

Cases Of Chlamydia & Gonorrhoea Increase In Irish Mid-West Region.

Public health doctors in the Mid-West Region have expressed serious concern with what they confirm are unprecedented levels of the sexually transmitted infections chlamydia and gonorrhoea in the community so far in 2023.

The Mid-West region consists of counties Tipperary North, Clare and Limerick; spanning 10,511 km², or 14.95% of the total area of the Irish State, serving a population of some 506,000 inhabitants.

HSE Public Health personnel in the Mid-West are already reporting record levels of gonorrhoea so far this year and claim that record levels of chlamydia are also likely to spike by the end of the year.

Troubling signs and symptoms of gonorrhoea infection in men include:

Painful urination
Pus-like discharge from the tip of the penis
Pain or swelling in one testicle

Troubling signs and symptoms of gonorrhoea infection in women include:

Increased vaginal discharge
Painful urination
Vaginal bleeding between periods, such as after vaginal intercourse
Abdominal or pelvic pain

Troubling signs and symptoms of chlamydia infection in men again include:

A discharge from their penis
A burning sensation when peeing
Less common is pain and swelling in one or both testicles

Troubling signs and symptoms of chlamydia infection in women again include:

An abnormal vaginal discharge
A burning sensation when peeing
Note: Chlamydia often has no symptoms, but it can cause serious health problems, even without symptoms. If symptoms occur, they may not appear until several weeks after having sex with a partner who has chlamydia. Sexually active people can get chlamydia through vaginal, anal, or oral sex with a partner who has chlamydia and can cause permanent damage to a woman’s reproductive system. This can make it difficult or impossible to get pregnant later. Chlamydia can also cause a potentially fatal pregnancy that occurs outside the womb.

In 2022, some 798 cases of chlamydia were recorded; an increase of 20% on 2019 figures, while 188 cases of gonorrhoea were recorded, latter an increase of 41% on 2019 figures, and same the highest statistics recorded for both of these infections, over the previous ten years.

To present date in 2023, some 664 cases of chlamydia and 274 cases of gonorrhoea have been diagnosed.

Free contraception is available to all persons aged 17 to 30 years, and SH24 home testing is also free for everyone within the state. If further advice is needed individuals can contact their GP, or go online at www.sexualwellbeing.ie.

Move Towards Health-Based WHO Air Quality Will Have Positive Impact On Health.

Ireland’s ambition to move towards the health-based World Health Organization (WHO) air quality guidelines will be challenging, but will have a significantly positive impact on health.

Air quality in Ireland is generally good, however, there are concerning localised issues.
Ireland met all of its EU legal requirements in 2022, but it did not meet the more stringent health-based World Health Organisation (WHO) Air Quality guidelines.
It is estimated that there are approximately 1,300 premature deaths annually in Ireland due to poor air quality from fine particulate matter (PM2.5).
The choices we make in how we heat our homes and how we travel directly impact the quality of the air we breathe.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has today published its annual air quality report ‘Air Quality in Ireland 2022’. The report shows that, while air quality in Ireland is generally good and compares favourably with many of our European neighbours, there are concerning localised issues which lead to poor air quality.

Ireland met EU legal air quality limits in 2022, however it did not meet the more stringent health-based World Health Organization (WHO) air quality guidelines for a number of pollutants including: particulate matter (PM), nitrogen dioxide (N02), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and ozone (O3), due mainly to the burning of solid fuel in our towns and villages and traffic in our cities.

Poor air quality has a proven negative impact on people’s health. There are an estimated 1,300 premature deaths in Ireland per year due to particulate matter in our air.

In 2022 air monitoring results from EPA stations across Ireland show that fine particulate matter (PM2.5), mainly from burning solid fuel in our homes, and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) mainly from road traffic, remain the main threats to good air quality. High levels of these pollutants are often associated with cold, still weather from late autumn through to early spring, when generally short-term incidents of poor air quality occur.

Launching the report, Dr Micheál Lehane, Director of the EPA’s Office of Radiation Protection & Environmental Monitoring, said: “The EPA’s air quality monitoring has shown that Ireland met all of its EU legal requirements in 2022. However, we did not meet the World Health Organisation (WHO) air quality guidelines for health. This highlights the immediate challenge to move towards the WHO air quality guidelines in the Clean Air Strategy. While undoubtably challenging, the significantly positive impacts of clean air on health are clear and the report identifies some of the actions that are necessary to achieve the health-based air quality guidelines.”

The report identifies that using less solid fuel and cleaner fuels to heat our homes, and reducing our use of cars to go to school, work and play; are actions that will contribute towards achieving the WHO guidelines.

The report further identifies the critical role for local authorities in enforcement, implementation of existing plans and investment in infrastructure to encourage cleaner and healthier air quality choices:

Local authorities must provide more resources to increase air enforcement activities and implement the new solid fuel regulations.

Dublin local authorities must fully implement the Dublin Region Air Quality Plan 2021, to improve Nitrogen Dioxide levels in Dublin Region.

Investment in clean public transport infrastructure across the country must be maintained and increased.

More safe footpaths and cycle lanes must be created to continue to increase active travel as a viable and safe alternative to car use and associated nitrogen dioxide emissions.

Mr Pat Byrne, EPA Programme Manager, said: “The localized issues that we see in the 2022 monitoring results impact negatively on air quality and health. Monitoring stations across Ireland recorded high levels of particulate matter associated with burning solid fuels in our towns and villages and high levels of nitrogen dioxide in our larger cities associated with road traffic. We can have immediate impacts on our local air quality by making changes in how we heat our homes and finding alternative ways to travel. These actions which also have positive climate impacts”.

To find out more about how we can improve air quality, read the EPA’s How we can improve the air we breathe infographic or check out the ‘ABC for Cleaner Air’ campaign@ The ABC for Cleaner Air , from the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, which highlights some simple steps we can all make and help reduce pollution from solid fuels.

The Air Quality in Ireland 2022 report is available on the EPA website.

The EPA continually monitors air quality across Ireland and provides the air quality index for health and real-time results online HERE.
Results are updated hourly on the website, and people can log on at any time to check whether the current air quality is good, fair or poor.