Ministers for Health announce that HHC is now an illegal drug

Press Release: Tuesday
29 July 2025
Ministers for Healths announce that HHC is now classified as an illegal drug

The Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD, the Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy, Jennifer Murnane O’Connor TD and the Minister for Mental Health, Mary Butler TD have announced that the drug Hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) has been categorised as a Schedule 1 controlled drug Misuse of Drugs Act 1977. This means that the import, export, production, possession, sale, and supply of products containing HHC is now illegal.
HHC is a semi-synthetic cannabinoid that has similar effects to cannabis and has been commonly sold as e-cigarettes or vape pens, in herbal mixtures, oils, edible jellies and cakes and as tinctures. Since it was first detected in Ireland in 2022, it has been linked with episodes of psychosis and hospitalisation. A recent study by researchers in University Hospital Galway found that HHC was the second most common drug used by patients presenting with psychosis over a 21-month period.

It’s one of 14 new substances, including synthetic opioids and semi-synthetic cannabinoids that have been newly classified as controlled drugs. This follows their identification by the EU and by the UN Commission for Narcotic Drugs as posing a serious risk to public health. The addition of these substances to the Schedules of the Misuse of Drugs Acts gives added powers of enforcement to An Garda Siochana combatting the trade in illicit drugs.

Synthetic drugs are harmful and addictive. Controlling these substances will safeguard public health against drug-related harm. In line with the health-led approach to drug use, the Department of Health is also increasing capacity in drug treatment services and expanding education and prevention initiatives.

Minister Carroll MacNeill said:

“The sale of HHC as vapes, in attractive packaging, or in edible jelly form, is a marketing ploy aimed at young people, which masks the fact that this drug is harmful for youth mental health and can be addictive.

“Under the successor national drugs strategy, I’m committed to reviewing legal avenues to respond faster and more effectively to emerging threats from by the volatile drugs market. In line with our health-led approach to drug use, our priority is to advance measures that enable us to protect and support the health of our population.”

Minister Murnane O’Connor said:
“HHC, like other synthetic and semi-synthetic drugs, is a grave threat to public health. Controlling HHC and other harmful substances is an important step, that must be complemented by education and prevention programmes so that young people and parents are better informed about the risks associated with drug use.

“We know that HHC is responsible for hospitalisations and psychotic episodes, and that there are many people today struggling with addiction as a result of this and similar drugs. I urge people seeking help, either for themselves or for a loved one, to contact the HSE Drugs and Alcohol Helpline. Information on services in your locality can be found on the Health Research Board’s interactive map.

“I also want to assure parents who may be worried about their children and the impact of HHC. Help and support is available, and I urge them to use the HSE’s excellent resource on drugs.ie called Alcohol and Drugs: A Parent’s Guide. It provides factual information and advice on talking to their children about the risks associated with illicit drugs.”

Minister Butler said: "A recent study showed HHC was involved in a third of first-time psychosis cases at University Hospital Galway. This is clear evidence of the serious harm it can cause. Classifying HHC as a Schedule 1 controlled drug will curtail its availability and reduce its health impact, particularly on the mental health of younger people. Measures like this are essential to easing the pressure on our mental health services and protecting individuals, especially those unaware of the risks, from avoidable and significant harm."

NOTES TO EDITOR:
It is always safer not to use drugs at all. Each person will react differently to the substances they consume, based on physical and mental health, underlying health conditions, the contents and potency of the drug they are using, the setting they are in.

The HSE operates a confidential freephone Drug and Alcohol Helpline: 1800 459 459 from Monday to Friday between 9:30 am and 5:30 pm or through email at helpline@hse.ie.

The HSE’s website drugs.ie provides comprehensive information and support for people who use drugs and for concerned parents, families, teachers and the general public. HSE also provides information through Drugs.ie social media channels.  Further information is available on https://www.drugs.ie/hhc_and_changes_to_the_law/

Development of the next National Drugs Strategy

The Programme for Government, 'Securing Ireland’s Future' sets out the Government commitment to a health-led approach to drugs use. The Government will assess the outcomes of the existing national drugs strategy and publish a successor strategy.
The Department of Health commissioned and recently published an independent Evaluation of the existing National Drug Strategy. A Steering Group has been established to develop a draft successor strategy by the end of the year.

The successor strategy will be informed by the Citizens’ Assembly on Drug Use, the evaluation of the existing strategy, consultations with stakeholders, and developments in the EU drugs strategy and action plan.
In line with the existing strategy, the successor strategy will address cross sectoral issues including the provision of treatment services for problematic drug and alcohol use and the development of initiatives to prevent drug and alcohol use.
The fourteen new substances to be declared as controlled drugs have been identified by the EU and by the UN Commission for Narcotic Drugs as posing a serious risk to public health that should be subject to international control measures. The controlling of substances in this manner is an ongoing process in which substances that have been risk assessed at international level as posing a danger to public health are recommended to be subject to national control measures on foot of obligations as a party to the United Nations Conventions on Narcotic Drugs 1961 and Psychotropic Drugs 1971. Schedule 1 controlled drugs are those which have little or no therapeutic value and which present a very high risk of abuse.