'More pure and potent' drugs expected at festivals this year
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Health officials are expecting to see “more potent” drugs circulating at this year’s festivals with the potential to cause greater harm to users.
It comes as the HSE launches the third year of its Safer Nightlife programme at festivals, which started the country’s first official drug checking service in 2022.
The HSE expanded the "back of house" drug checking from one festival that year to three festivals in 2023.
The service has been expanded to four festivals this year, with budget and staffing limitations cited as the reason for the limited increase.
The HSE Social Inclusion Unit will use research being conducted this year at festivals to support its case for a budget increase from the Department of Health.
It is also hoping the research — if it shows harm reduction messages are changing drug behaviour — could support a case to the judiciary to make the provision of harm reduction facilities at festivals a condition of a festival licence.
A total of eight risk alerts about high strength MDMA (ecstasy), cocaine, and ketamine were issued to users in real-time at festivals as a result.
“I suppose we’re expecting to see more pure or more potent substances, and that’s associated with more harm,” Professor Eamon Keenan, of the HSE Clinical Lead Addiction Services, said.
Speaking at the launch, he said they saw adverse physical and mental issues resulting from drug use at last year’s festivals.
Prof Keenan said recent British drug checking revealed “a wide range of MDMA strengths", with tests from The Loop drug checking agency reporting ecstasy pills ranging from 160mg to 270mg —the latter being over twice an adult dose.
The HSE's project manager for emerging drug trend, Nicki Killeen, said the drugs.ie tent and the medical tents at festivals were a “safe space” for people concerned about their drug use to come and talk to experts.
Trained volunteer Ashling Egan said people often approach volunteers before taking a drug or after taking a substance or if they are concerned about a friend.
Detective Superintendent Sé McCormack, of the Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, stressed that gardaí will not be standing near tents, saying they are medical facilities.
He said that, while there can be drug searches elsewhere at a festival, "the focus is on drug dealers”.
Prof Keenan said they have “limited capacity” to expand testing beyond the four festivals, but planned to make a business case for more funding to the Department of Health.
The festivals taking part this year, for the first time, are: Mother Pride Block Party on June 28-29, District 8 Garden Party on August 9, Electric Picnic (third year) on August 16-18, and District X on September 21.