Heroin users in Dublin have been warned to avoid buying any new drugs following a significant increase in overdoses in the city. 

The HSE has ordered an investigation and is now awaiting analytical confirmation as to what caused the increase. 

“We estimate over 20 overdoses have occurred in the city, based on medical calls," HSE Emerging Drug Trend Project Manager Nicki Killeen said. 

“So, it’s obviously very important for us at this time, while we investigate what’s actually going on on the ground that we highlight there’s an extra risk associated with this market.” 

We are aware of a number of heroin overdoses in Dublin city.
We are advising people not to buy new batches of heroin or buy heroin from new sources.
We ask you to follow these harm reduction steps.
More information available here: https://t.co/iYU91pWRgL pic.twitter.com/Nn3k0bE45b

— HSE Drugs.ie (@drugsdotie) November 9, 2023

So far, the increase in overdoses is confined to Dublin and the HSE said there are a number of precautions users should take. 

“We want to remind people that there are extra risks at this time,” Ms Killeen said. 

“We want to remind people to try and avoid buying any drugs that might be new; so, drugs that are sold as new drugs, new types of drugs, new batches of drugs.

“We’re encouraging people to go into services to discuss their use, to try and access Naloxone - which is an opiate reversing drug - or treatment and discuss harm reductions.”

Users are also advised against using more than one drug at the same time and encouraged to seek medical help immediately if they feel they are overdosing.

Main image: A heroin user. Picture by: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck