Not everyone who socialises in nightlife settings will use drugs but for those who choose to, we want to raise awareness of the current risks and encourage people to reduce the harms as nightlife reopens in Ireland. To highlight our concerns, we have launched our new campaign 'If you go, go slow' aimed at people who use drugs in nightlife settings.

Think about your drug tolerance
From a health perceptive we are worried that some people may feel that they have to ‘make up’ for lost time after restrictions which could lead to using substances in extra risky ways. We are also concerned that people who took time off from using substances or first time users may be at greater risk. See our information about drug tolerance here.

Be in the know about the current drug market
We are also concerned about the current drug market including high strength MDMA (pills, powders/crystals) and cocaine. However, new substances have also been appearing in MDMA in the UK. As well as this, we have concerns for synthetic cannabinoids emerging in cannabis (vape, herbal products and edibles).

Harm prevention advice: Campaign advice [2021]

Leaflet: 'If you go, go slow' leaflet 

Poster: 'If you go, go slow' poster

If you are concerned about your own or someone elses substance use, contact the HSE Drug and Alcohol Helpline on 1800 459 459 Monday - Friday 9:30 am - 5:30 pm or email helpline@hse.ie