The HSE has this evening issued an urgent warning over a drug at Electric Picnic, after tests showed a pill to be double the average adult dose.
The dangerous pill, which is a purple skull in appearance, is MDMA but way above the normal dose according to HSE labs on site. Officials are warning festival-goers to avoid the pill with three more days of the festival to go.
In a statement, the HSE said: "Mybrand purple skull identified as high strength MDMA at HSE drug monitoring lab at Electric Picnic, which is a cause for concern. Contents are approximately two times the average adult dose. Please exercise caution and remember it's safer not to use drugs at all.
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"Chat with HSE harm reduction teams onsite for more information. Don't be afraid to get medical help," they added.
The alert comes after the roll out of a new, anonymous drug-testing system where festival goers can submit drugs into a "surrender bin" at Electric Picnic, which was launched by the HSE in partnership with the Department of Health and the Department of Tourism and Culture. The new system provides festival goers with "real time" information on dangerous drugs discovered at the festival.
The new initiative is being supported by the Department of Justice and An Garda Sicohana. The HSE led "surrender bin" does not grant amnesty from arrest or prosecution for those found in possession of controlled drugs at the event and normal legislation and Garda enforcement plans apply.
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