High-dose MDMA warning for revellers attending Sydney's Field Day

ABC NEWS (Australia)

The government has issued a new warning about ecstasy pills. It comes after its free drug-checking trial found some with unusually high levels of MDMA at a New South Wales festival Health experts warn high-dose tablets can lead to deadly overdoses...and are calling for the pilot testing program to be extended.

Transcript

00:00Despite the grey skies, spirits were high as festival goers showed up for field day.

00:13Police sniffer dogs were on a mission to keep illicit drugs out after a new government warning

00:18about what's in some pills.

00:19We've got an alert out from NSW Health indicating there are some high potency drugs around at

00:26the moment.

00:27A free drug checking service found unusually high levels of MDMA in tablets at the Lost

00:32Paradise Festival on the Central Coast this week.

00:35This is concerning and it's better that the information's out so we want to get the word

00:39out for people to take care at the moment given this information.

00:43Well the main risk of high dose MDMA is that people could potentially overdose so at a high

00:49dose people start to experience overheating, internal organs breaking down, they can go

00:54into coma, dehydration.

00:56Today field day revellers had the option of getting pills tested too as part of the state

01:02government's 12 month free drug checking trial at festivals.

01:05I've had a couple mates that have decided to go and test what they have and a few of them

01:11have actually discarded what they have.

01:13It just makes you feel a lot more safe knowing that what you've got is actually what you want

01:18because there's nothing worse than going and finding out your cocaine's made of cement.

01:21I think it's good because you're not going to stop people from taking anything, I think

01:25you may as well make it so that no one dies from it.

01:29The pilot testing program was one of the key recommendations made in a report following a major

01:34drug summit in New South Wales in late 2024. Field day is the ninth music festival to take part in the trial,

01:42which will be independently evaluated after it comes to an end in February.

01:46While some critics had argued the pilot program would increase drug use, many experts would like

01:52to see it rolled out permanently.

01:54There's data from around the world that shows that this is a very effective intervention that

01:58does not increase drug use.

02:00While there's no question the parties will go on, it's yet to be decided if the drug checking will too.

02:30Is it something that you know with

02:33or which screw the decay?

02:34It looks like an Registered Civilization Service, its wrong question number of steps would be

02:36ванful.

02:38It really appears as a Zack Tribune.

02:41It is just one of the most famous deaths that have been married with.

02:43And me, I think that the 20 back-

02:50is the 20 When we flying over there, it can't get back on.

02:54That means we're going home and I think that's what's going on.

02:58So today is the illegalglia on the carbon warfare.

06:30What's that?

06:31For the girl when she's got to get pregnant?

06:35It's like when you have illegal drugs and you can take them into the festival and they've

06:40got a site where they test the pill and then tell you what drugs are.

06:44Can I talk to you?

06:45Can I talk to you about a break?

06:46If you want.

06:47Yeah.

06:48Okay.

06:49Just look at me and pretend the camera's not there.

06:50Okay.

06:51Do you think that having pill testing at festivals is a good idea?

06:52I think for people that want to do that it's probably a bad idea because then they probably

06:59have less pills because they have to keep one away.

07:06Yeah.

07:07It's probably safer though.

07:08Yeah.

07:09So I think it's good overall.

07:10And like you know to have it at a festival like this where I guess what might be taking substances

07:17like do you think it could help people out?

07:18I think so yeah.

07:19If it's free and everyone takes safe pills I don't know.

07:25Yeah.

07:26Thank you so much.

07:27That's it.

07:28Really appreciate it.

07:29That's a good time.

07:31Hold on.

07:32That was really.

07:33It's not like a personal thing.

07:34Yeah.

07:35Just like more generally what you think about it and like you could do it together.

07:37Yeah.

07:38Okay.

07:39What are our thoughts on pill testing?

07:40The what?

07:41Pill testing.

07:42Like drug checking.

07:43Like not you personally just like general thoughts on it.

07:46I mean 30 seconds for TV.

07:48Yeah.

07:49No.

07:50No.

07:51I'm scared.

07:52That's what it is.

07:53Yeah.

07:57Bye.

07:59Okay.

08:00Just looking at me.

08:01Do you think it's a good idea to have pill testing at festivals like this?

08:06Definitely.

08:07Definitely.

08:08Yeah.

08:09Why is that?

08:10I don't see any negative because people are going to do it anywhere.

08:12I feel like you should get something out of it in the sense of people are going to

08:16do it anywhere.

08:17I'm repeating myself really now.

08:19But people are going to do it anywhere.

08:20People are going to get sick from it.

08:22We can test it and everyone is going to gain from it.

08:25Does that make sense?

08:26Yeah.

08:27I feel like I'm not making sense.

08:28No.

08:29That makes total sense.

08:30I guess it's safer in some sense.

08:31Definitely.

08:32Exactly.

08:33Exactly.

08:34Yeah.

08:35And you don't have to answer this if you don't want to but have you or anyone...

08:37Have you or anyone, do you know anyone who's ever used it before?

08:39I do.

08:40I do.

08:41I do.

08:42And do you think it helped them?

08:43Well, I don't know anyone who's actually gone to these testing centres.

08:45Fuck right in the pussy!

08:46Oh yeah!

08:47I don't know anyone who's gone to these testing centres.

08:52Everyone I know thinks that it's a good idea.

08:55And so do I.

08:56Yeah.

08:57Thank you so much.

08:58No problem, no problem.

08:59Sorry, that was definitely terrible.

09:00No, that was great.

09:01You have a good time.

09:02Hi!

09:03I'm from ABC.

09:04We're just asking you about the first pill testing.

09:05Do you mind if I get you on this side?

09:06Yeah, definitely.

09:07Great, thank you.

09:08And just basically looking at me like the way chatting is, that doesn't exist.

09:09Yeah, do you think it's, I'll go with you first and then you, do you think it's

09:23a good idea to have pill testing at festivals like this?

09:26Yeah, 100%.

09:27I feel like, irregardless if they're going to test or not, people are going to bring them

09:30up or find a way to renew, so at least they can do it safely.

09:32For sure.

09:33And for you?

09:34Oh, I, the exact same.

09:35Like I just think people are going to be taking it regardless, like whether it's safe

09:40or not.

09:41It's just, why not try to help the crowd out?

09:46Like, you can take it, it's up to you, but just learning about the dangers of it.

09:53Yeah.

09:54So I think, I agree.

09:56Definitely.

09:57And you don't have to answer this if you don't want to, but I guess I want to ask

10:00you or you know someone who's ever used a pill testing site and if you know if it's

10:05helped them or not or anything like that?

10:07I know of people that have definitely used it and it has been helpful to them because

10:10a lot of the time they, if they're not getting it from someone they know, they're getting

10:13it from a stranger and that's probably the safest option for them.

10:16Yeah.

10:17Yeah.

10:18I've had a couple mates that have decided to go and test what they have and a few of them

10:23have actually discarded what they have because they knew what was in it and they found out

10:27and they were like, it's not worth the risk.

10:29Yeah.

10:30So I think it's a great idea.

10:31Absolutely.

10:32Thank you guys so much for your time.

10:33Have the most fun.

10:34Take care.

10:35So hydrated.

10:36Oh yeah.

10:37Happy New Year.

10:38Happy New Year.

10:39Ha,'Thank Thank you.

10:41Happy New Year.

10:42Ha,' surn Elijah Sie Mori, this is not a weekend, sir.

10:45tears.

10:46But you're glad you're ready as a when you go.

10:53Hey.

10:54You're ready.

10:57Play around us so late

10:58What would you

11:58I'm going to go in.

12:03No, no, no, you're not the other one.

12:07Yeah, that's crazy.

12:10And then I'm going to go.

12:28I'm going to go in.

12:58I'm going to go in.

13:28I'm going to go in.

13:58I'm going to go in.

14:28I'm going to go in.

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