Drug Testing Kits Are To Be Given To Students At University College Cork
The move follows calls for the kits to be made available at festivals following the death of 19 year old Jack Downey last month.
The CIT student from Clonmel died at Cork University Hospital after taking what is believed to be MDMA at the Indiependence Music Festival in Mitchelstown.
UCC Students for Sensible Drug Policy Society will be handing out the kits and discussing harm reduction tips during Freshers Week this week.
The HSE say they are concerned about the increase in the strength of drugs such as MDMA and cocaine and have warned that self-reporting drug testing kits might not detect all the substances or adulterants in a pill or powder.
Speaking to RedFM News, Pre-Hospital Emergency Physician Dr Jason Van Der Velde says while drug testing at events such as festivals has benefits, taking illegal substances is always a risk due to the lack of quality control:
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