First drugs warning issued at Electric Picnic 

Crowds descending on Electric Picnic music festival in Co Laois today. Picture: Leah Farrell/Rollingnews.ie

The HSE has issued its first drugs warning to Electric Picnic festival goers and warned that a double-strength ecstasy tablet may be in circulation.

The drug testing team at the festival said the tablet, known as the Mybrand purple skull pill, contains around two times the average adult dose.

The @drugsdotie team are issuing caution from #EP2022.

The lab on-site has identified Mybrand purple skull pill which is approximately two times the average dose.

Please exercise caution. Visit https://t.co/Z58KqtOZpU.#ReduceTheHarm pic.twitter.com/zvYuix8hnm

— HSE Ireland (@HSELive) September 2, 2022

It was identified as part of the first anonymous and real-time drug testing trial at a festival site in Ireland.

The HSE has set up a lab at the Electric Picnic site in Stradbally in Co Laois for the first drug monitoring programme that can analyse drugs to provide real-time information in a festival setting.

It is the first time illegal drugs are being tested outside of authorised state facilities and it is being run as part of the Government’s ‘Safer Nightlife’ harm reduction campaign.

And within hours of the festival starting, the lab issued its first warning following the identification of this high-strength MDMA.

It said the discovery of the such a high-strength drug was a “cause for concern” and its drugs team urged festival goers to exercise caution.

“Remember it’s safer not to use drugs at all,” it said.

It urged people with concerns to engage with the HSE harm-reduction teams who are on site for more information and to not be afraid to seek medical help.