Gardaí in Drogheda have confirmed that cannabis tested after two women became seriously ill, was not contaminated.

Garda Superintendent Gerry Smith said: "We can confirm that results of tests carried out on cannabis found it was not contaminated."

The women are still being treated at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda and their condition is said to be improving.

They had both been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit after being brought to hospital suffering what appeared to be seizures.

Initially it appeared the women became ill after smoking cannabis.

After the women were hospitalised the HSE Addiction Services in the North East issued an alert warning.

The alert warning said a contaminated batch of cannabis seemed to be circulating in the Louth, Meath and Cavan region.

Superintendent Smith said that when they are well enough the women will be interviewed and a garda investigation is continuing into the source of the cannabis.

Cannabis was found at two houses that were searched in Louth after the women were admitted to hospital.

However, results of tests on the cannabis found in these searches confirmed it was not contaminated.

The women are not believed to have known each other, but it was thought they had each taken cannabis supplied by the same person in the Drogheda area.

Sources said that the likelihood now is that their condition was caused by something taken with the cannabis.