07/05/2026
Information from our drug education team
- NPS : New Psychoactive Substances -
We talk about NPS in our 3 session secondary school awareness programme. A new psychoactive substance (NPS) can be described as a new narcotic or psychotropic drug that is not controlled by the United Nations drug conventions, but which may pose a public health threat comparable to that posed by substances listed in these conventions. Health harms associated with NPS range from seizures to agitation, aggression, intoxication, acute psychosis as well as dependence.
Often NPS substances are used to avoid prosecution under existing legislation and because their chemical composition may not yet be defined and listed as a banned substance, they may well be sold as being 'legal'. However, as we tell our students, 'legal' does not mean 'safe' it may just mean that someone has found a new loophole to exploit.
Between 2021 and 2025, 51 new NPS were reported in Ireland. One example was the semi synthetic cannabis product HHC which effectively bypassed existing legislation from 2022 until it was banned under new legislation in July 2025. In that time, it was technically 'legal' because the then laws did not define it, but it was very much not safe and the amount of young people in particular, presenting with mental health issues from consuming the product in v**e form, eventually resulted in a new law being enacted to ban HHC and to more easily define NPS as harmful substances.
Many of the new NPS products identified recently have been detected as a result of the testing facility introduced at The Electric Picnic and other music festivals, where concert attendees are asked to submit substances in their possession, for testing.
With the school holidays and summer season fast approaching, now might be a good time for parents to talk to their children about the dangers of trying mood and mind altering substances at concerts and festivals, even if they are assured by those selling them that they are 'legal'.
'Legal', does not mean 'safe'.
