Festival-goers are being warned of super-strong 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' pills this summer. Drug testing charity The Loop said it found tablets with more than double the normal amount of MDMA at this year's Secret Garden Party in Cambridgeshire.
The Loop also tested 'Teddy Bear' pills with one and half times the average amount of MDMA and 'Soundcloud' pills which contained plaster of Paris. And they found a powder being sold as MDMA that was actually N-ethylpentylone, a drug similar to MDMA that can cause insomnia and psychosis for up to 36-42 hours.
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The Loop's senior scientist Guy Jones told Radio 1 Newsbeat it was a 'really insidious' product as people can't tell if they've taken the real thing or not. He added: "If people have bought MDMA and they are expecting it, they are likely to be equipped and understand the risks they are exposed to and how to mitigate those risks.
"Things like staying cool, keeping well-hydrated and moderating their dose. When there are unexpected risks added, that throws off people's ability to mitigate those risks."
The Loop, which is invited to festivals across the country to test drugs found on site in a bid to reduce harm, said substances imitating other drugs 'will be in circulation at other UK festivals' this summer. In June the charity shared details of several new ecstasy pills found at Parklife - and urged caution for any clubbers thinking of taking them.
Researchers found the tablets on the list contained an average of 170mg of MDMA - 1.5 times the average adult dose. Most potent were the 'fist emoji' pills, which contained more than double the standard amount.
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