The Mick Clifford Podcast: The war on drugs has extended to vapes
Hexahydrocannabinol, or HHC as it is known, is widely available to buy over the counter in vape shops.
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RTÉ News
6 days ago
- RTÉ News
169 young people sought treatment for HHC drug in last 18 months
Since the beginning of last year, 169 young people have sought treatment for problems with Hexahydrocannabinol (HHC), a drug contained in some vapes and edibles, figures from the Health Research Board show. The substance is available for sale in vape shops across the country. The College of Psychiatrists of Ireland has reiterated its call for the drug to be banned because of problems with addiction and serious mental health issues. John, 18, who does not want to be identified, became addicted to and had serious mental health effects from vapes containing HHC. The man-made drug produces similar effects to a natural ingredient in cannabis, known as THC, which causes the drugs "high". John said: "I heard voices screaming in my head, it was absolutely terrifying. I thought it would never go away. "I had really bad psychosis, I had three or four schizophrenic episodes from it, I was really lazy, the vape was always in my hand and it was so easy to get because the shop would just give it to us." Joe, who also does not want to be identified, said his life has never been the same, after he began inhaling HHC from a vape that he bought in a local shop. "I was smoking weed a lot, and when I seen this HHC, it was just an easy access, you know. "It was just in the shops, obviously you could bring it places and take it whenever you want, but as I was using it for a few weeks, it just kind of turns your world upside down. "Psychosis, overthinking, just insane thinking, you're just not the same person. You're like a zombie, your face is droopy, your eyes are a few centimetres lower than they should be, you just look ... you look bad." Figures from the Health Research Board show that 169, mostly young people, sought treatment for problems with HHC over the past year and a half. Head of Clinical Services at Aiséirí Addiction Treatment Centre in Kilkenny Sara Cassidy said there has been a sharp rise in the number of people attending the service who are addicted to the drug. "They have had horrendous psychosis experiences, symptoms that are similar to schizophrenia and the biggest concern is that for some of these young people, with their developing brains, is that the symptoms don't necessary dissipate once the chemical is stopped and it's quite treatment resistant," she said. Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Professor Bobby Smyth has been calling on the Government to ban HHC for the last year. He said: "We began seeing some of the young people attending the service reporting the use of HHC in a problematic way about two years ago. "Three years ago, it did not exist as a concern." "I suppose we are a bit confused about why its taken so long to ban it," Prof Smyth said. "I believe it will be banned," he added. He said that perhaps the "biggest question is how as this allowed to happen in the first place, what can we learn from this because the entrepreneurs, who have been making money selling HHC to the youth of Ireland over the last few years, will just find another drug if we are going to continue to permit them to do so". The Department of Health said HHC contained in some vapes and in edibles like gummies will shortly be added to the misuse of drugs regulations. This means it will be illegal to sell or supply it. However, for people like Joe and John, this cannot come soon enough. Joe says he is feeling better now but still suffers some of the effects daily. Joe said: "I am feeling good now, but I am feeling lucky as well, like there is people here who just aren't the same as me who aren't as lucky. "Also, I got off them before I came in here, that probably saved me. I would say if I kept smoking them for a few weeks longer my brain would be a lot more deteriorated. John said he wants to see them taken out of shops so no other person has to go through what he did. "It will change your life and not for the better, because the first time you pick it up it's all fun and games, but the more you pick it up, the more you smoke it, you start to see what I saw and feel what I felt and some people might not get it as easy as me and some people might not get out of the hole I was in as easy."
Irish Examiner
06-06-2025
- Irish Examiner
Synthetic drugs pose 'emerging threat' across Ireland and Europe
Europe is facing an emerging threat from synthetic drugs — including artificial substances that mimic cannabis, heroin and stimulants — the EU drug agency has warned. It has documented 'unprecedented imports and seizures' of synthetic cathinones, which are chemically similar to cathinone, a stimulant. The European Union Drug Agency also flags the 'rising availability' of fake medicines containing highly potent nitazenes — a synthetic opioid that led to overdose outbreaks in Dublin and Cork at the end of 2023 and in several Irish prisons in 2024. In its European Union Drug Report 2025, the agency highlights a doubling in the strength of cannabis resin over the last decade and the risks posed by high-potency cannabis extracts and edibles, like jellies. The report said semi-synthetic cannabinoids have 'spread rapidly' in recent years. One of these substances, HHC, has been linked to serious psychological effects, including among schoolchildren in Cork in November 2023. HHC can be purchased legally in jellies and vapes from stores in Ireland, despite repeated concerns of medical experts. New provisions are being drafted to fill the legislative gap. The report is also alerting users of the dance drug ecstasy that they are exposing themselves to 'unpredictable health risks', as the content of the active ingredient, MDMA, has 'increased markedly'. It said the average MDMA content in ecstasy tablets has increased from about 84mg in 2011 to between 138mg and 158mg now, with some tablets containing up to 350mg. This warning chimes with an alert issued last week by the HSE, which said that one in four ecstasy pills it had tested in 2024 had more than 200mg of MDMA, which, it said, was more than double the typical adult dose. Issuing the alert as part of its harm reduction strategy for the coming festival season, the HSE said high-strength MDMA pills, powders and crystals in circulation increased the risk of 'getting very sick', including accidental overdose. The European Union Drug Agency report mentioned the HSE harm reduction campaign at music festivals, which included the testing of samples handed over to surrender bins, enabling live dissemination of rapid risk alerts to potential users. The agency said that similar to the more extensive trend with cannabis, MDMA had been found in edibles — such as sweets and lollipops — in some countries. 'As with cannabis edibles, these products pose difficulties in regulating dosage and increase the risk of inadvertent consumption, especially a concern if they are consumed by minors,' the report said. It said seizures of synthetic cathinones had increased from 2.1 tonnes in 2021, to 27 tonnes in 2022 and to 37 tonnes in 2023. The report said while synthetic cathinones have been shown to have similar effects and potential harms as stimulants like MDMA and amphetamine, they are a broad range of substances, some of which may have 'more severe' effects. The drug agency said synthetic cannabinoids were widely available online and in shops and include flavoured jellies and vapes. 'Their accessibility and supposed legal status may attract both cannabis users and first-time users, potentially including youth and children,' it said. Read More Quantity of cocaine seized in EU countries has almost doubled in past three years
Irish Daily Mirror
25-05-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
Semi-synthetic cannabis will be criminalised 'within weeks'
Semi-synthetic cannabis will be criminalised and made a Schedule 1 drug 'within weeks', Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill has confirmed. It follows a call from doctors to outlaw the drugs, which are commonly obtained in vape form, following a rise in their popularity among teenagers and young people. Aontu TD Paul Lawless asked Minister Carroll MacNeill the date for when legislation will classify hexahydrocannabinol, known as HHC, as a schedule 1 controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs legislative framework, with a particular focus on its use in vaping and the risks of accessibility to minors. The Minister confirmed the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2017 will be 'amended to include HHC as a Schedule 1 drug subject to the strictest levels of control'. She added: 'While I cannot put a precise date on this, I expect it to happen within the next weeks.' Controlled drugs in Schedule 1 have the most restrictions on them because of their strong potential for abuse. Other Schedule 1 drugs include heroin, LSD, marijuana, MDMA and ecstasy. Deputy Lawless told us he welcomed the impending ban as he questioned how these products were being marketed to young people. He said: 'I welcome the news that the government will classify HHC as a controlled drug but we also need legislation to deal with how these products are marketed. 'They're being displayed like sweets in a sweetshop. The HHC vapes are brightly coloured and with scents of cotton candy and bubblegum. They are strategically designed to get children and young people hooked on them at an early age. 'These companies know what they're doing and there needs to be legislation to deal with this. When a young person in Mayo says HHC has torn their life apart, we have to listen. 'The fact that this substance can still be bought legally across the country is deeply alarming. The Government has a responsibility to act swiftly.'
