Drug and alcohol warning issued for people partying over St Patrick’s Day weekend

Ottoline Spearman

The HSE has issued a warning about the dangers of drugs and is urging people to take extra care this St Patrick's Day weekend.

With the key message of "it is safer not to use, there is always risk", the body is warning that even small quantities of drugs can be potent.

Powders and crystal forms of MDMA are now more common than pills among young people, the HSE says, with test results showing these drugs to be extremely potent.

In particular, the HSE is concerned about batches of pink powder, which can contain other unexpected substances. One powder that the HSE analysed contained six substances, with another containing a drug never identified before in Ireland (2-FMA).

The HSE has developed the mantra, "if it's pink, stop and think".

The HSE is also warning that what is sold as ‘pink cocaine’ most often does not contain any cocaine, but a ketamine mixture.

If it's pink, stop and think

Dr David Weir, HSE Consultant Psychiatrist specialising in addiction, said: “Our core message is that it is safer not to use drugs at all as there will always be risks.

"However, our analysis shows that there is currently extra risk for those who use drugs in nightlife. We need young people to understand that high strength MDMA and pink powders can also lead to a drug emergency for you or your friends.”

Shauna Dee, a Dublin DJ and youth worker, is working with the HSE to share advice on reducing harm.

Her advice is to "start low and go slow, be aware of the new risks and know the signs of a drug emergency".

She also said to "mind your community, look out for yourself and care for others if something doesn’t seem right.”

Addiction specialists are also warning that St Patrick's Day generates more self-harm hospital presentations than any other Irish public holiday.

Research using the National Self-Harm Registry Ireland has found that St Patrick's Day has the highest number of hospital self-harm presentations of any public holiday, averaging 44 presentations on the day compared with 27 on a typical day, a rise of over 60 per cent.

Alcohol was involved in 43 per cent of public holiday self-harm presentations, compared with 38 per cent on other days.

Separately, national emergency department research has found that up to 29 per cent of emergency department presentations in the early hours of Sunday mornings involve alcohol, illustrating how periods of increased drinking translate directly into healthcare demand.

Smarmore Castle, an alcohol rehab clinic in Co Louth, is calling for a more honest national conversation about alcohol as celebrations approach.

Keith Cassidy, Clinical Manager at Smarmore Castle rehab in Co Louth, says the data reflects patterns his team sees every year, but he is equally clear that St Patrick's Day itself is not the problem.

"Nobody is suggesting St Patrick's Day should be anything other than a joyful celebration," Cassidy said. "But as clinicians we have a responsibility to share what the evidence tells us, and the evidence is clear that how we drink on days like this have immense consequences.

"St Patrick's Day is a genuinely special occasion. It celebrates Irish music, literature, heritage, and the sense of community that defines this country at its best. None of that requires alcohol to be at the centre of it.

"What we do know, from years of working in addiction treatment, is that unplanned drinking and high-pressure social occasions are two of the most common triggers for overconsumption. A little preparation genuinely makes a difference, not to dampen the celebration, but to make sure people can actually enjoy it.”

In the case of an emergency, or if you or someone you know is at risk of suicide or self-harm, dial 999/112.