Plaster of Paris found in drugs at music festivals
DRUGS tested at music festivals this summer were cut with plaster of Paris and anti-malaria tablets, a charity says.
Fake MDMA n-ethylpentylone which ‘looks and smells the same as an MDMA crystal,’ was discovered at Manchester’s Parklife festival in June.
The drug, which has similar effects to MDMA, can cause ‘severe paranoia,’ ‘temporary psychosis’ and insomnia which can last up to three days.
More than 8,000 people had drugs tested at music festivals in the UK this summer, the BBC reports.
Drug awareness charity The Loop provided a special ‘front of house’ service at seven English festivals, including Kendal Calling in Cumbria.
Behind-the-scenes testing also happened at Parklife, at Heaton Park.
Revellers could have their drugs tested anonymously.
Those testing the substances discovered some drugs were four times stronger than normal.
The tests also revealed that some drugs had been cut with crushed anti-malarial tablets, sugar, body-building supplements and plaster of Paris. They also discovered an increase in n-ethylpentylone.
Scientists at The Loop, a not-forprofit organisation, are compiling the information in a report for the Home Office.
Guy Jones, senior chemist for The Loop, told the BBC that one in 10 festival-goers handed over substances for disposal by the police after having drugs tested.
He added: “About half [of people having drugs checked] say that they will take smaller quantities after speaking to our healthcare professionals about strength and dosage.”