A NUMBER OF young people are in hospital today, requiring treatment after taking a psychoactive substance while at a house party in Cork.

The HSE confirmed to TheJournal.ie that emergency services were called to the property on the southside of the city in the early hours of this morning.

“A number of young people were admitted to Cork University Hospital following the ingestion of a psychoactive substance,” a statement said.

Specific information about the drugs taken have not been released but the HSE believes they were “new psychoactive substances similar to those products previously sold in headshops”.

According to the HSE:

These drugs can be sold in tablet, powder or liquid form and are consumed at parties or clubs for their stimulant, mood altering and in some cases, aphrodisiac effect.

Side effects can include paranoia, hallucinations, gastrointestinal issues and kidney problems.

Local media have named the drug in question as 2C-P. Cork’s RedFM have said there are at least three people in hospital, with one thought to be in a critical condition.

Cork’s 96FM reports that gardaí ”came upon a man lying naked on the road in the Greenmount area”.

Authorities have issued a warning, advising people that there is no quality control on these drugs. The HSE’s statement concluded:

Given the serious side-effects experienced by the young people in Cork, the HSE Addiction services are issuing a warning about possible contaminated ‘party pills’ and advise people to not consume any unknown substances that they are offered at this time.

With reporting by Catherine Healy. Originally published 2.04pm