Drug use and nights out

Not everyone uses drugs on nights out and at parties, but for those who choose to, we want to raise awareness of the current risks and provide people with information to help them reduce harms.
Be in the know

Everyone is different

How you react to drugs will be based on personal factors such as your physical and mental health as well as your tolerance to substances.

Higher strength drugs means higher risk

The strength of drugs such as MDMA (pills, powders/crystals) and cocaine can vary, this means you can’t be sure how you will react each time you use. High strength products have been found by the HSE in Ireland.Higher strength drugs increase the risks. It may be easier to quickly take too much too soon.

We're also currently concerned about the risk of drugs known as synthetic cannabinoids appearing in cannabis products such as herbal, edibles.

Drug emergencies

Drug emergencies can happen when you take too much of a drug for your body to handle or if you ‘mix drugs’. Things that increase your risk of a drug emergency include, if you stopped use and start again (change in tolerance), if high strength drugs are in circulation (you can take too much too soon), you take more than one substance at a time, you take new types of drugs, your own physical or mental health reasons or taking drugs that are easy to overdose with (for example GHB).

How you can reduce the harms if you use drugs on nights out

It's safer not to use and there will be different risks based on your personal factors, the drug (what it contains, how much you use and if you use with other drugs) as well as where you use and who you use with.

If you choose to use:

Tell your friends if you decide to use drugs. Try to have one friend who doesn’t use and be with people you trust. Avoid using alone, stick together and make sure no one is left alone on a night out.
Be in the know before you go: Follow our Twitter and Instagram accounts (Drugs.ie) for updates on drug trends, warnings and alerts. See our alerts from our drug monitoring last summer here.
Start low and go slow, take a small test dose. Pace yourself by taking a small amount and leaving time between use. This can help you identify how you are reacting to the substance. If you don’t react as expected avoid taking more
Leave the mixing to the DJ: Avoid mixing drugs, including alcohol and prescription medication. Mixing drugs and be unpredictable and increase your risk of becoming unwell or experiencing a drug emergency. Remember, alcohol can increase the risks with all drugs. MDMA could interact negatively with some medications such as antidepressants. See our information on mixing drugs here
Keep cool and stay hydrated: Sip water but don’t drink over a pint an hour as drinking too much water can be dangerous and lead to a salt imbalance in your body. Take breaks from dancing and give yourself time to cool down.
Know the signs of drug emergency: Signs could be physical or mental. Look for early signs of a stimulant overdose such as feeling too warm, weak, a head ache, pains in arms or legs.If in doubt, get it checked out. See our information on the signs of a drug emergency
Medics are your mates: Don’t be afraid to get help if you or a friend becomes unwell using drug. Be honest with medics about what was taken. Your wellbeing is their main priority.

Information on being a good bystander

Everyone can have a role in helping create safer nightlife. Get advise on looking after yourself and others. We partnered with UCC Bystander Intervention Programme to develop a support booklet to help people be active bystanders on nights out. Download here

More information

Drug Combinations: Get information about how drugs interact with each other here.
MDMA harm reduction
Ketamine harm reduction
Cocaine harm reduction
Nitrous Oxide harm reduction

If you're concerned about your own or someone else’s 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