Officials with the Calgary Police Service and Alberta Health Services are warning residents about the dangers of illicit drug use at many of the city’s music festivals.
In August of last year, 17 people who attended summer concerts were taken to hospital with health issues related to drugs.
Health officials say that many substances popularized by the party culture like Ecstasy, PMMA or MDMA can lead to serious health consequences when combined with heat, alcohol, crowds and other drugs.
Dr. Nick Etches says the drugs cause people to overheat from the inside.
Etches says that concert-goers should also be aware of how much water they are drinking. “Drinking too much or too little water can also alter the concentration of salt in the body, which can lead to brain swelling and may be fatal. Needless to say: we want people to enjoy these music events, without these consequences.”
Calgary police say that some festivals also offer drug testing facilities for attendees to identify the presence of one or more drugs in a pill.
However, the testing has limitations.
“These tests will not tell you how much of a drug is in the pill you are taking, nor will they be able to detect all types of drugs. There simply is no such thing as a safe street drug, or a test that can guarantee the drug you are taking is what your dealer says it is,” says Calgary Police Service Staff Sgt. Martin Schiavetta. “Deadly synthetic drugs may be contained within any pill, powder, or tablet you consume.”
Overdoses are often a possibility with the drugs that are passed around at festivals and people who take MDMA and PMMA should be aware of symptoms including:
- Nausea
- Muscle cramping/twitching
- Involuntary teeth clenching
- Blurred vision
- Fast and irregular heartbeat
- Shortness of breath
- Fainting
- Chills
- Sweating
- Dehydration
Amphetamine overdoses can also have long-term consequences such as liver, kidney or heart failure.
People can also die from overheating, severe dehydration and organ failure.
