Hexahydrocannabinol (HHC), which has been commonly sold as e-cigarettes or vape pens, has been classified as an illegal drug by the Government.
This means the import, export, production, possession, sale and supply of products containing HHC is now illegal.
HHC is a semi-synthetic cannabinoid that has similar effects to cannabis and has been sold as e-cigarettes or vape pens, in herbal mixtures, oils, edible jellies and cakes and as tinctures.
Since it was first detected in Ireland in 2022, it has been linked with episodes of psychosis and hospitalisation.
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A recent study by researchers at University Hospital Galway found HHC was the second-most common drug used by patients presenting with psychosis over a 21-month period.
It is one of 14 new substances, including synthetic opioids and semi-synthetic cannabinoids, that have been newly classified as controlled drugs. This follows their identification by the EU and by the UN Commission for Narcotic Drugs as posing a serious risk to public health.
The addition of these substances to the Schedules of the Misuse of Drugs Acts gives added powers of enforcement to An Garda Síochána combating the trade in illicit drugs.
Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said the sale of HHC as vapes, in attractive packaging or in edible form, is “a marketing ploy aimed at young people, which masks the fact that this drug is harmful for youth mental health and can be addictive.
“Under the successor national drugs strategy, I’m committed to reviewing legal avenues to respond faster and more effectively to emerging threats from the volatile drugs market,” she said.
“In line with our health-led approach to drug use, our priority is to advance measures that enable us to protect and support the health of our population.”
Minister of State at the Department of Health Jennifer Murnane O’Connor described HHC as “a grave threat to public health”.
“Controlling HHC and other harmful substances is an important step, that must be complemented by education and prevention programmes so that young people and parents are better informed about the risks associated with drug use,” she said.
Minister of State for Mental Health Mary Butler said: “Measures like this are essential to easing the pressure on our mental health services and protecting individuals, especially those unaware of the risks, from avoidable and significant harm.”
