The HSE is warning festival goers at Electric Picnic this weekend to be wary of a dangerous batch of MDMA doing the rounds.
The drug, which is a purple pill, contains over twice the average dose.
The "purple punisher pill" contains 246mg.
An alert went out on screens and on the Electric Picnic app on Friday night shortly after 10pm.
The @HSElive has identified Purple Punisher Pills which contain approximately two times the average adult dose.
Please exercise caution. Visit https://t.co/FG9Bv3jUWJ
#ReduceTheHarm pic.twitter.com/MuWv4V1Bcg— Electric Picnic (@EPfestival) September 1, 2023
The HSE is on site this weekend for the second year, running an anonymous drug-checking programme.
Eamonn Keenan from the HSE says the programme is proving to be a great success.
"Last time was the first year it happened and people were, I think, a bit sceptical but as we've gone on through the summer this year, people have become much more comfortable about talking to us about their drug use".
He advises anyone who is going to use drugs over the weekend to go slow and not to take a full tablet.
Five surrender bins are located around the festival, where people can hand over drugs to be tested.
They can be found at the Main Stage and at the Jimmy Hendrix and Janice Joplin campsites.
Medical tents can be found throughout the festival, and the HSE is urging anyone who feels unwell to seek help from medical teams.
