A public health warning has been issued over a recreational drug that can cause severe hallucinations, violent behaviour and gangrene.
The Department of Health today warned that Dimethoxybromoamphetamine (DOB) - a white tablet without a logo - is thought to be in circulation after a number of Garda raids uncovered the drug being made in backstreet laboratories.
The Department says the hallucinogenic amphetamine is being passed off as ecstasy but has different and generally more serious effects.
The Department says DOB can take up to three hours to take effect, leading users to take more because they assume the drug is weak. The effects last from eight to 24 hours depending on the amount consumed.
"Larger doses of DOB result in memory loss, irrational outbursts of violence and the likelihood of self-harm . . . spasms of the blood vessels in the legs leading to gangrene have been reported," the public health warning says.
Medical help should be sought for anyone who is agitated or who hallucinates after taking what they believed to be ecstasy, it continues.
A DOB tab is white, slightly smaller in size compared to ecstasy and hsa rounder edges. The tablet goes by the street name of snowballs.
The Department reminded the public that ecstasy is also "extremely dangerous".