Latest news with #TheLoop
Sydney Morning Herald
a day ago
- Health
- Sydney Morning Herald
Hundreds visited these drug checking sites, but a review into them will stay secret
About one in 10 samples tested by Queensland's first permanent pill testing sites contained drugs people were not expecting or wanting to find, a report from the organisation running the sites has revealed. The data formed part of an evaluation report published by The Loop on Thursday, after the state government again refused to make public the findings of an independent, taxpayer-funded study. The Loop's evaluation found nearly 700 visitors to the CheQpoint sites at Bowen Hills and Burleigh Heads, which operated for a few hours, one day a week, for about a year before they were defunded by the new LNP government and closed in April. About 600 of these were presentations for drug testing, including 444 from Brisbane. The former Labor government launched the pill testing initiative promising there would be an independent University of Queensland evaluation of the service after 12 months. Loading The study was completed and submitted at the end of March. But despite pressure from advocates and health officials, the state government has not made it public. The Loop Australia, the not-for-profit organisation that delivered the service, said a formal Right to Information request lodged in June had been denied on the grounds the evaluation would be considered by cabinet, effectively keeping the findings secret. A spokeswoman for Health and Ambulance Services Minister Tim Nicholls confirmed the report was before cabinet.
The Age
a day ago
- Health
- The Age
Hundreds visited these drug checking sites, but a review into them will stay secret
About one in 10 samples tested by Queensland's first permanent pill testing sites contained drugs people were not expecting or wanting to find, a report from the organisation running the sites has revealed. The data formed part of an evaluation report published by The Loop on Thursday, after the state government again refused to make public the findings of an independent, taxpayer-funded study. The Loop's evaluation found nearly 700 visitors to the CheQpoint sites at Bowen Hills and Burleigh Heads, which operated for a few hours, one day a week, for about a year before they were defunded by the new LNP government and closed in April. About 600 of these were presentations for drug testing, including 444 from Brisbane. The former Labor government launched the pill testing initiative promising there would be an independent University of Queensland evaluation of the service after 12 months. Loading The study was completed and submitted at the end of March. But despite pressure from advocates and health officials, the state government has not made it public. The Loop Australia, the not-for-profit organisation that delivered the service, said a formal Right to Information request lodged in June had been denied on the grounds the evaluation would be considered by cabinet, effectively keeping the findings secret. A spokeswoman for Health and Ambulance Services Minister Tim Nicholls confirmed the report was before cabinet.
Daily Mail
02-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Sudden death warning over popular party drug as study finds most pills are three times stronger than advertised
Super-strength ecstasy pills containing life-threatening levels of MDMA are back in circulation in the UK as pills return to pre-pandemic strengths, experts warn. Tests carried out on the popular party drug this year showed some pills contained up to 339mg of MDMA, three-times the common dose, an update revealed today. The Loop, a Home Office-licensed drug testing service, found average pill strength has surpassed pre-pandemic levels at 192g—up on the 187mg record last year. Nearly 40 per cent of pills now contain more than 200mg of the stimulant. People have died from taking as little as 150mg of MDMA, though no amount is considered safe. Ahead of festival season, which kicked off with Glastonbury last weekend, the non-profit warned that these changes in the 'MDMA pill market' could pose a serious threat to ecstasy users. In an X, formerly Twitter post, the charity warned people that a single pill does not mean a single dose, highlighting the risks of overdosing—including heart attack, seizures and even death. It marks the first time The Loop has found any pills containing a shocking 340mg of MDMA since before the pandemic. They were identified at Parklife festival in June 2025. MDMA is a stimulant and psychedelic thought to rewire connections in the brain, dampening the part that controls fear. The Loop's testing so far this year indicates changes in the MDMA pill market, which could increase risk to ecstasy users. A single pill is not a single dose. #TakeQuarterSipWater — The Loop (@WeAreTheLoopUK) July 1, 2025 No level of MDMA is considered safe as the drug affects users differently based on their body weight and what other substances are in their system at the time. At Parklife festival last month The Loop tested samples of the pills which had either been seized or disposed of in amnesty bins. They found the tablets were stronger than those that had triggered fits, seizures, heart palpitations and even death. Of all the ecstasy pills tested by The Loop so far this year, just 4 per cent contained no MDMA—a significant decease on 2021 figures when almost half had no traces of the drug. Common risk reduction messages stood up by the charity include 'take a quarter, sip water' and 'go slow, stay low'. Because ecstasy affects the body's ability to regulate temperature, experts are particularly concerned about young people taking the drug at festivals as temperatures continue to climb. According to Talk to Frank, an anti-drug advisory service established by the Department of Health, taking the drug in these conditions increases the risk of dehydration and overheating, which can be fatal. However, the drug-service warns that drinking too much water whilst on MDMA can also be dangerous. This is because the drug can trigger a hormone in the body that prohibits the production of urine, resulting in liver failure. Use of ecstasy has been linked to heart problems with common side-effects including severe agitation, raised body temperatures, fits and irregular heart rhythm. Official figures estimate that around 170 deaths linked to MDMA in the UK every year. Pre-pandemic levels stood at 78. Meanwhile, an estimated 2.4 million people, including 347,000 teenagers, take the drug. It has been classed an illegal substance since 1977 when the government declared it a class A drug, for which the maximum penalty for possession is seven years imprisonment and an unlimited fine. The warning comes following the tragic death of a 17-year-old boy who died after taking ecstasy for the first time during a night out with friends last year. Kristian Jolly, from Norfolk, took at least one pill named 'Andrew Tate' after the self-proclaimed misogynist and social media influencer. Not long after swallowing the pill, Kristian started excessively sweating and became seriously unwell. An ambulance was called the following morning, but Kristian's condition had seriously deteriorated overnight and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The warning comes as the NHS has launched the UK's first ever ketamine teen addiction clinic amid a surge in youngsters hooked on the mind-altering drug.
Irish Examiner
17-06-2025
- Health
- Irish Examiner
HSE warns on health risks of high potency ketamine and ecstasy as festival season gets under way
HSE experts have issued fresh warnings of the risks posed by ketamine, as new research from the Netherlands deepens concerns associated with the drug. Ketamine, an hallucinogenic drug that is increasingly popular among some young people, has featured in a number of drug hauls in Ireland this year and is typically seized alongside other 'party drugs', such as cocaine and MDMA (ecstasy). Last month, 4kgs of ketamine was seized in a drug-mixing and distribution factory in an industrial premises in West Dublin, along with smaller consignments of cocaine and MDMA. With the music festival season already begun, HSE drug experts are concerned at the potential use of ketamine — including new, and more potent, versions of the drug — and high-strength MDMA tablets. Over the weekend, British drug checking charity The Loop warned of MDMA pills circulating at the Parklife Festival in Manchester were three times a common adult dose. Dutch research just published has found an increase in first aid incidents in the country involving ketamine, often in combination with other substances such as alcohol and MDMA, which, it said, was 'leading to higher toxicity'. It said this was manifesting in symptoms like 'agitation, hallucinations, nausea, tachycardia [high heart beat] and hypertension [high blood pressure]'. The research expressed significant concern at the so-called 'ketamine bladder' or 'K bladder', saying there was 'significantly higher incidence' — up to six-times more — of uropathy, or blockage of urinary tract, among frequent ketamine users. 'Ketamine-induced uropathy is a growing concern, particularly among young adults, and requires early intervention to prevent disease progression,' the research said, adding 'immediate cessation of ketamine use is critical'. Patient cases in the research include a 24-year-old man presenting in hospital with severe lower abdominal pain and acute urine retention. It said a bladder scan showed 655ml of fluid retention and catheterisation was required. A follow-up check, one year later, found the man was suffering bladder cramps — also known as 'K cramps'. The severe effect known as a 'K hole' is caused by higher doses of the drug, characterised by profound dissociation or detachment and immobility, resembling near-death experiences. Commenting on the Dutch research, a statement from the HSE said: 'While the use of ketamine may not be as high as the Netherlands, it is clearly an issue in this country also. There is an ongoing concern in relation to ketamine use among young people. The HSE said it published in the Irish Journal of Medical Science last year, which highlighted the increasing use of, and clinical concerns associated with, the drug. It said the use of ketamine was again confirmed in the European SCORE Wastewater report, published earlier this year, which included Dublin for the first time. 'This is something that we have been seeing presenting to our HSE 'Safer Nightlife Programme' and 'back of house' drug testing service,' the statement said. It added newer analogues of ketamine, or a designer drug versions, were causing even more concern: 'Newer analogues of ketamine are appearing on the market that are much more potent, and therefore more likely to cause harm.' More information can be found on Read More European study shows Dublin's ketamine use reached same level as MDMA in 2024
Metro
16-06-2025
- Metro
Drug warning issued ahead of Glastonbury after high-strength MDMA found at Parkl
Festival goers have been warned ahead of Glastonbury after a high-strength drug was found at Parklife last weekend. Pills known as 'Dior' and 'Pop Smoke', believed to be three times as strong as normal MDMA were found circulating at the event in Heaton Park, Manchester. Non-profit drug checking charity The Loop said it had discovered the potentially lethal pills, which tested at between 95 and 340mg MDMA or ecstasy. Experts say MDMA gives an initial euphoric rush, but has dangerous side effects. An overdose can lead to hospitalisation and even fatality. Polydrug use, the use of more than one drug simultaneously or mixing substances with alcohol, can further worsen effects. Festival-goers who ignore rules and are found with illegal substances risk being arrested and evicted from the site. Parklife operates a strict no drugs policy, with attendees advised: 'Please obey the law. Drugs are no more legal at a festival than in the outside world. Drug dealing and consumption will not be tolerated. Parklife has zero tolerance for legal highs.' The Loop also advised revellers to be seek medical attention if they or anyone else in their group experiences 'high body temperature, rigid muscles, excessive sweating, a racing pulse or heart, aggression, uncontrolled repetitive movements, vomiting or seizures'. More Trending It says people should stay hydrated and wait at least 90 minutes before redosing. It added in a statement on X: 'If planning on taking MDMA, be aware of the risks.' People have been known to die at festivals after consuming illegal substances. Ellie Rowe, 18, died while volunteering for Oxfam at Boomtown Festival in Hampshire after taking a toxic combination of ketamine and alcohol. Got a story? Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ Or you can submit your videos and pictures here. For more stories like this, check our news page. Follow on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news updates. You can now also get articles sent straight to your device. Sign up for our daily push alerts here. MORE: Glastonbury boss confirms 'exciting plans' for Worthy Farm in 2026 despite fallow year MORE: Every single Glastonbury headliner by year – including last minute drop-outs MORE: Alleged samurai swordsman cooked his cat before 'killing 14-year-old schoolboy'
