Ahead of District X Festival in Palmerstown this weekend, the HSE is warning people about changes in the MDMA market in Ireland. There is continued availability of high-strength pills, increased use of MDMA powders and crystals, and the emergence of cathinones being sold as MDMA.

The HSE Safer Nightlife Programme will offer harm reduction services at District X Festival on Friday and Saturday (11 and 12 September) at Palmerstown House Estate, Co Kildare. Attendees can submit a drug sample at the HSE’s Drugs.ie tent to help identify extra-risky substances in circulation, and support harm reduction for you and your friends. The HSE is currently monitoring several emerging concerns in the MDMA market. Recent HSE drug-checking results identified high-strength MDMA, copycat pills and powders containing different substances of varying strengths and cathinones, including 3-CMC, being mis-sold as MDMA. Synthetic cathinones are chemically modified psychoactive stimulants that are more potent and unpredictable than traditional stimulants such as amphetamine.

The HSE is also tracking the reappearance of PMA/PMMA in parts of Europe. PMA/PMMA has previously been linked to severe toxicity. As PMA/PMMA acts more slowly than MDMA, people take more and are significantly increasing overdose risk. The HSE is working with EU partners to assess any potential risk to Ireland. 

Professor Eamon Keenan, National Clinical Lead, HSE Addiction Services, said: “We know the MDMA market is evolving. The HSE Emerging Drug Trends Lab has analysed identical-looking pills ranging from containing no MDMA to containing high amounts. People can no longer rely on a pill’s colour, shape, logo or stamp to know what is in it. “More recently, we have identified further concerns in the Irish drug market, including cathinones being mis-sold as MDMA, and its effects can be unpredictable, such as anxiety, insomnia, paranoia, psychosis, suicidal feelings and difficult comedowns. Our advice remains the same: it is always safer not to use drugs.”

Nicki Killeen, HSE Emerging Drug Trends Manager, said: “We have a long-standing partnership with DX organisers, built on a shared belief in harm reduction. We encourage festival-goers to talk to our HSE teams for the latest harm reduction advice and to contribute a sample at the Drugs.ie tent for on-site analysis. For a number of years now the HSE have been providing drug checking at events and in our Laboratory at the National Drug Treatment Centre to monitor the drugs market and provide Public Health advice. This gives us an important role in identifying what is in circulation and issuing alerts about higher-risk substances. “Festival-goers can play a vital role by submitting samples in our health spaces at the event and helping us build a clearer picture of drug trends.”

The HSE advises festival-goers:

• Know the signs of a drug emergency. A drug emergency can include a high temperature, headache or migraine, feeling generally unwell, confusion, anxiety or pains in the arms, legs or shins.
• Avoid mixing drugs. This includes mixing drugs with alcohol or prescription medication.
• Be in the know before you go. Drug strength and contents can vary, and products sold as MDMA may contain other substances or no MDMA at all.
• Stay with people you trust. Make sure no one is left alone and be a good bystander. Tell festival staff if you think a friend is missing.
• Keep cool and stay hydrated. Take breaks from dancing and check in with yourself and others. Avoid drinking excessive amounts of water.
• Avoid putting powders or crystals into drinks. This can result in taking too much too quickly and lead to a drug emergency.
• If you choose to use drugs, start low and go very slowly. Take a small amount and allow time to see how you react before taking more.
• If in doubt, get it checked out. Talk to the HSE harm reduction teams if you are concerned about a drug or a reaction.
• Don’t delay getting medical help. Medics are there to help and your wellbeing is the priority.
• If you have a medical emergency, tell the medics what you have taken. If possible, give them any remaining substance so it can be analysed by the HSE.

For more information follow Drugs.ie on social media for alerts and harm reduction information.