High-dose ecstasy tablets are circulating in NSW as health authorities warn the popular party drug has been linked to recent deaths.
Three types of pills have been found in the state recently containing MDMA doses up to twice the average amount contained in the tablets, NSW Health said on Friday.
They include a yellow tablet featuring the face of children's TV character SpongeBob Squarepants and two blue tablets, one bearing a skull logo.
NSW Poisons Information Centre medical director Darren Roberts said the consumption of high ecstasy doses had been linked to recent cases of serious illness and death.
"The amount of MDMA in a tablet or capsule can vary a lot, even within the same batch," he said.
"Hot environments, such as at music festivals, increase the risk of harm."
NSW Health said that other drugs, including ketamine and its analogues had also recently been found in some ecstasy tablets and capsules.
Dr Roberts said the health risks from taking ecstasy were greatly increased if high amounts of the drug were taken in a short period.
The warning follows the death of two men following a dance music festival in Sydney in late September, spurring renewed calls for NSW to introduce pill testing to reduce drug-related harm.
The ACT introduced a fixed pill-testing site in July last year as part of a trial due to run until the end of 2024, while Queensland has also paved the way for fixed and mobile drug-testing sites.
NSW has so far resisted rolling out a similar regime, a measure that is expected to be considered at a state drug summit next year.
However, a more liberal drug regime will begin next year under which police will have the discretion to choose non-criminal measures of counselling or fines to deal with people with personal-use quantities of MDMA, cocaine and ice.
