The increased use of recreational drugs among young people is to be the focus of an awareness campaign in the coming months.
With figures showing Irish teenagers twice as likely to maintain a lifetime cannabis habit compared to the rest of Europe, the National Drugs Awareness Campaign is to focus on increasing the profile of help services.
It will also continue a campaign begun last winter on cocaine - highlighting the psychological and physical dangers of the drug.
The additional dangers posed by mixing different types of drugs and mixing drugs with alcohol will also be highlighted by information campaigns, posters in places such as bars and clubs and an expanded website.
A recent survey by the Health Research Board found three out of four Irish people are insufficiently informed about drugs.
The Minister of State with responsibility for the national Drugs Strategy, Noel Ahern, said: "Facts, information, counselling, advice and treatment resources are all available and in line with the overall campaign theme - Drugs: there are Answers - our objective is to help people access these resources when they need to."
The European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) last year found Irish teens almost twice as likely to smoke cannabis compared to the European average.
The research among 15-year-olds in 35 European countries revealed 39 per cent of Irish students had used cannabis with nearly 10 per cent also using other illicit drugs. The survey also found the highest level of teen binge drinking in Europe among Irish students.
More girls than boys in Ireland admitted to regular use of alcohol, and 30 per cent of Irish 16-year-olds reported being drunk 10 or more times in the previous 12 months, according to the findings.