Irish Psychiatrists Urge Government to Use 2010 Act Against New Psychoactive Drugs
Irish psychiatrists are urging the government to utilize the Criminal Justice (Psychoactive Substances) Act 2010 to control new psychoactive drugs like HHC. They warn that relying on outdated legislation has led to a resurgence of unregulated substances, causing psychiatric harm. The 2010 Act proved effective previously and is deemed the most appropriate tool.
In the early 2000s, Irish «headshops» sold unregulated recreational drugs, causing widespread psychiatric harm. The outdated Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 required specific nomination of each harmful drug, leading to a «Hydra» phenomenon where banning one substance prompted the sale of new, unnamed drugs. This overwhelmed lawmakers, causing a spike in drug-related psychiatric hospital admissions.
To counter this, the government enacted the Criminal Justice (Psychoactive Substances) Act 2010, broadly banning the sale of any psychoactive substance. This successfully reduced headshops and psychiatric hospitalizations. However, these lessons seem forgotten with the rise of Hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) and other semi-synthetic cannabinoids sold as vapes.
HHC, chemically similar to THC, was widely sold in Ireland from 2022 despite warnings of its psychoactive effects and risk of triggering psychotic illness, especially in young people. Research shows HHC is the second most used drug among those hospitalized with psychosis. The government eventually banned HHC in July 2025 under the outdated Misuse of Drugs Act, not the 2010 Act.
This narrow ban has resurrected the «Hydra,» with online and high-street vape shops now selling new, virtually identical semi-synthetic cannabinoids. Psychiatrists are observing the effects of these new drugs in clinics, with patients still easily purchasing HHC, though the exact contents of unregulated products are unknown. Psychiatrists urge the government to review why the 2010 Act was not used for HHC and to issue a directive affirming the 2010 Act as the primary tool for controlling new psychoactive substances.