According to a survey for the European Commission, it was discovered that 16% of 15 to 24 year-olds in Ireland took legal drugs, similar to the effects of cannabis, cocaine and ecstasy, contrary to the 5% average of the EU.

Also, this is as a result of 41 new substances ‘flagged’ by regulators last year on the EU's drugs alert system, which is said to be a record number, since its formation in 2005.

EU Chief Justice Viviane Reding stated, "New synthetic drugs are becoming widely available at an unprecedented pace in Europe. They can be toxic, addictive and have long-term adverse effects and we need to act at EU level and protect our children".

However, 115 new drugs have arrived on the EU market since 2005, which the Commission has expressed that they are manufactured in Asia and are cheaper than the traditional illegal drugs, like, cocaine or ecstasy, and most of them can be bought online.

Moreover, the issue faced by the regulators, is that as soon as risky drugs have been pointed out, a replacement can be created and put back on the market prior the end of the test done on the drug.

The European Commission says it will bring in new rules in the autumn to speed up the alert system; these will include the possibility of banning drugs temporarily while they are being probed for harmful effects.