New psychoactive substances are appearing in Europe, the HSE has warned as it encourages Electric Picnic festivalgoers to submit drug samples to testing facilities on-site this weekend.
Now in its fourth year at the festival, the HSE harm-reduction programme will offer free and confidential “back of house” drug-checking services.
Gardaí, however, have warned that the initiative would not grant amnesty to people its officers find taking or selling drugs at the festival at Stradbally, Co Laois.
HSE testers examine the chemical make-up of drugs submitted anonymously to designated drop-off receptacles.
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The aim is to gain a better understanding of current drug trends and to warn festivalgoers if particularly dangerous substances are found to be in circulation.
Last year, “high strength” ecstasy/MDMA pills were linked to medical emergencies including seizures at the festival.
Nicki Killeen, HSE emerging drug trends project manager, said work in community settings had identified synthetic opioids sold as heroin and benzodiazepines.
New psychoactive substances observed in the UK and throughout Europe are also of concern, she said. The HSE wants to identify if these trends are occurring in Ireland.
She said the project had led to alerts about high-strength MDMA, the synthetic stimulant 3-CMC being sold as cocaine and an instance of pure cocaine in circulation, “which is very rare but can lead to extreme medical situations or fatalities”.
Two drugs.ie tents, located in the Electric Arena and Hendrix Campsite, will be open daily at the festival, which runs from Friday to Sunday. Further surrender bins will be located at on-site medical spaces where people can deposit drugs for analysis.
Powders being added to drinks was observed as one concerning trend last year as was an increase in ketamine use, the HSE said.
Prof Eamon Keenan, HSE national clinical lead for addiction services, said the programme would provide public health advice “informed by real-time information about drugs in circulation”.
He warned that drug use could cause “unexpected or serious reactions due to personal factors”.
“Despite this, we recognise that substance use occurs across nightlife and festival settings and acknowledge the need for the HSE to continue to adapt new forms of harm-reduction supports,” Prof Keenan said.
An Garda Síochána said it would “work closely” with the HSE at the festival to ensure the harm-reduction initiative could operate at thesite.
“The HSE-led initiative does not grant amnesty from arrest or prosecution for those found in possession of controlled drugs at the event and normal legislation and Garda enforcement plans apply,” it said.
Controlled drugs are illegal where specified in the Schedule of the Misuse of Drugs Act, 1977, a Garda spokesperson said.
