Mayo alert over ‘psychosis’ threat to teenagers as gardaí told of concerns

Gardaí in Mayo have been alerted to concerns that synthetic cannabis products are being sold openly in the county.

Despite the fact they are considered highly dangerous, they are available without restrictions and getting into the hands of teenagers at parties and other social events.

The College of Psychiatrists of Ireland has said it ‘beggars belief’ that products containing a man-made drug which has done major damage to people's mental health is not banned.

The college issued its statement as a new study examining the use of the drug Hexahydrocannabinol, or HHC, found it was the second most common drug, after cannabis, involved in patients presenting with psychosis at University Hospital Galway between May 2023 and December 2024.

Now Mayo Councillor Harry Barrett wants urgent action on the issue after concerns were raised with him.

He stated: "This is very worrying as it’s on our doorstep.

"It’s shocking that something this harmful is being sold over the counter in our county.

"Parents, teachers and health professionals are already doing their best to support young people’s mental health. The last thing we need is dangerous drugs like this being openly available.

"After hearing the concerns, I contacted An Garda Síochána. I’ve been told that the drugs squad will now investigate. That’s welcome news, but it’s only the start.

"I believe gardaí need to act quickly to find out where these products are being sold.

"It must be stopped immediately before someone ends up seriously harmed. I also believe Mayo County Council should raise the issue at national level and press for a full ban on these substances.

"Most importantly, I am calling on the government to urgently strengthen the Criminal Justice (Psychoactive Substances) Act 2010. That law was brought in to deal with head shop drugs like this, but it clearly isn’t strong enough anymore.

"New chemical variations like HHC are slipping through the cracks while doing the same kind of damage. We need the law updated to keep a pace with these new drugs and to protect our communities properly.

"These synthetic drugs may be legal for now, but they’re not safe - and the damage they’re doing to young people is real.

"We want our towns to be safe places to live and raise a family. There’s no place for this kind of product in our community."

The products are available to buy for anyone over 18, despite ongoing calls for them to be prohibited.

The University Hospital Galway study involved an examination of medical notes of 214 admissions for psychotic illness to the Adult Acute Mental Health Unit over a period of 21 months from May 2023 to December 2024.

The researchers found that 28 of the admissions were preceded by self-reported use of HHC.

Nine of these admissions reported using only HHC while the others used other substances such as cannabis, cocaine and psychedelics.

The study found that HHC users were more likely to be male and ranged in age from 18 to 49 with a median age of 24 - significantly younger than the median age of those who did not use HHC.

HHC was the second most used illicit substance in the admissions, with cannabis being the most used.

When the researchers examined those admitted for a first episode of psychosis, they found that out of 47 such individuals, 16 were preceded by HHC use.

The researchers say that to their knowledge, this is the first study to examine the prevalence rates of HHC use in people experiencing acute psychotic disorders.

The chief executive of a company that makes and sells Hexahydrocannabinol or HHC, a drug contained in some vapes and edibles, has said he believes there needs to be more regulation in Ireland around selling the substance.

Luke Gavin, CEO and founder of Owls Oil, said that in his opinion the issue comes back to education and that he believes some people may be taking "too much".

He said that because of the lack of regulation here there are issues in relation to the supply chain and testing of the products.

Researchers, meanwhile, say HHC is now the second most common drug involved in psychosis presentations.

In a statement, the College of Psychiatrists said the legislative framework existed for the government to ban it and it called on the government to act urgently to do so "before more people and their loved ones were negatively impacted."

The drug contained in some vapes and edibles, produces similar effects to the natural ingredient in cannabis - THC - which causes the drug’s high..

That means they’re causing serious mental health issues—like paranoia, hallucinations, and in some cases, full mental breakdowns.

Now local Councillor Harry Barrett is pleading for urgent action on the matter.