Kiwi drug safety organisation Know Your Stuff has warned that there's a new dodgy pill out there that could put partygoers in danger.
It's called 'Purple Papa de Papel' and it's being sold as MDMA, despite containing none. Instead, it has 203mg of Eutylone - a form of cathonines/bath salts. It's currently only been found in the North Island, but - if you're going to take drugs - you should get your stuff checked wherever you are.
On their 'Pill Library' (a great resource to ensure whatever you're taking is what it claims to be), Know Your Stuff states that "cathonines can be dangerous when taken with alcohol, tramadol, or antidepressants. They can cause insomnia and anxiety, and in high doses, psychosis."
High Alert - another Aotearoa-based drug information provider - warned of eutylone's presence in party pills being sold as gear back in 2021.
"It looks almost identical to most street-quality MDMA, but produces a weaker effect," they said of eutylone. "People who think they have taken MDMA may think it's just weak and be tempted to take more, leading to intense, unpleasant and potential dangerous experiences."
"If a user takes Eutylone thinking it's MDMA, there is a greater risk of them unknowingly taking a dangerous amount. Because it is a stimulant, high doses can lead to restlessness and insomnia, and eventually psychosis due to lack of sleep."
To counter these dangerous drugs, Know Your Stuff hosts many drug-checking events in NZ's major cities throughout the year. The details for these events can be viewed here.
Free, legal and discrete drug checking will also be available in Wellington and Christchurch five days a week, and in Dunedin for four days a week. The testing is run by The Needle Exchange Services Trust (NEST). Clinics will be able to tell you what your pills contain, and whether they are a danger to you or not.
We've said it before and we'll say it again: If you do decide to do drugs, make sure you get them tested to avoid a potential nightmare scenario.
