A pilot programmes which aims to monitor drug use in festival and nightclub settings has been announced by the HSE.

According to the HSE, this is part of “overall efforts to improve drug trend responses and to reduce drug-related harm in Ireland”.

The pilot programme will initially take place at Electric Picnic, which runs from September 2-4, and will be implemented as part of the HSE ‘Safer Nightlife’ harm reduction campaign which was launched earlier this year.

Working in partnership with the Departments of Health and Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, the HSE aims to obtain substances by those engaged with their team at a designated tent. Participants can choose to anonymously submit substances to a ‘surrender bin’ so that the HSE can identify and communicate if extra dangerous substances are in circulation.

The HSE will also be in a position to analyse substances of concern identified by medics.

“We are currently very concerned about the emergence of new psychoactive substances and high potency substances which pose a threat to health. This project will provide us with vital information that we otherwise can’t access in real time. While this is a progression, the HSE messaging will remain clear, it is safer not to use drugs at all. For those who choose to, they should still follow the practical steps recommended by the HSE to reduce the harms,” explained the HSE’s national clinical lead for addiction services, Prof Eamon Keenan.

A laboratory will be established onsite and if a substance of concern is identified, the HSE will issue information to the public in attendance, with the aim of reducing the consumption of these substances and possible acute emergencies.

Through this new approach, the HSE will also be in a position to support medics through the analysis of substances identified in medical emergencies at events.

The HSE National Drug Treatment Centre laboratory will provide the analysis of substances in a secure location at Electric Picnic through the use of FT-IR technology.

The initiative is supported by the Department of Justice and An Garda Síochána. The HSE-led surrender bin does not grant amnesty from arrest or prosecution for those found in possession of controlled drugs at the event and normal legislation and Garda enforcement plans apply.