Three inmates overdose on synthetic drug in Cork Prison

There were two mass casualty overdoses at the Midlands Prison last September linked to spice — one involving 11 inmates and the second involving seven

A spokesman for the IPS said it is working closely with the HSE in response to a number of overdose presentations in custody at Cork Prison. Picture: Dan Linehan

Three prisoners fell ill and one had to be hospitalised after a suspected overdose of the dangerous synthetic drug spice at Cork Prison.

It’s believed the illicit substance was smuggled into the facility soaked into sheets of paper, which were sent as letters to inmates, who then tore them up into strips and smoked them or scraped the drug off.

The alarm was raised on Sunday night when three men fell ill with similar symptoms. Two were treated on site by prison medical staff and HSE paramedics but one of the men had to be taken to Cork University Hospital for treatment for several hours. He is now back behind bars.

While tests have yet to confirm the exact substance involved, it is understood the men’s symptoms bore all the hallmarks of having consumed spice — the street name for a synthetic drug that mimics the effects of cannabis. It is not a single drug but a range of laboratory-made chemicals that mimic the effects of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive component of cannabis.

Its high potency can be overpowering, and consuming even a small amount can lead to some people experiencing difficulty breathing, rapid heart rate, and shakes and sweats, all of which can lead to severe panic attacks.

At higher doses, balance and co-ordination can be severely affected, and users can experience a loss of feeling and numbness in their limbs, nausea, collapse, and unconsciousness.

There were two mass casualty overdoses at the Midlands Prison in Portlaoise last September linked to spice — one involving 11 inmates and the second involving seven.

The Irish Prison Service (IPS) introduced a range of measures in October to clamp down on the flow of the substance into the prison, including new ion detection measures and photocopying inmates’ correspondence to ensure the letters delivered to their cells were not soaked in any illicit substance.

There have been no reported overdoses linked to spice since those measures were introduced.

'Extra vigilance is being taken'

Two were treated on site by prison medical staff and HSE paramedics but one of the men had to be taken to Cork University Hospital for treatment for several hours. Picture: Dan Linehan

A spokesman for the IPS said it is working closely with the HSE in response to a number of overdose presentations in custody at Cork Prison.

“Extra vigilance is being taken within the prison, and information for prisoners around the dangers of consuming contraband has commenced,” he said.

“The IPS is committed to preventing the access of contraband, including drugs, into prisons and continues to be a high priority for the IPS.

“The IPS has committed to continuing to invest in new technologies and measures to support our efforts to keep contraband out of prisons.

“Prison staff have increased the use of random and intelligence-led cell searches on a daily basis.

“Our canine unit carry out searches around the prisons, including a greater focus on searching deliveries into prisons.

“The IPS continues to engage with An Garda Síochána with regard to preventing contraband entering our prison and this happens at both local and national level.

“The operational support group work closely with their colleagues in An Garda Síochána on a regular basis and the sharing of intelligence has led to target searches resulting in the seizure of contraband.”

The spokesman pointed to a free confidential phone line (1800 855 717) and text line (086 180 2449) which can be used “in the strictest confidence” by prisoners, visitors, staff, or members of the public to share information on the trafficking of prohibited items into prisons.