Around half of the MDMA pills tested at Electric Picnic this year contained double the average dose.
The HSE Safer Nightlife Programme said its "back of house" surrender and testing service has detected a risky and volatile evolving drug market.
“What we saw recently through festival season and recently at Electric Picnic, we estimate that 50% of the pills were over 200 milligrams of MDMA,” HSE Emerging Drug Trends Project Manager Nicki Killeen said.
“To contextualise that, an average adult dose would be somewhere between 75 and 125 milligrams of MDMA, so the MDMA at the moment does have extra risk.”
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The last festival drug trend checking service this year will be at District X in Kildare this weekend.
Ms Killeen said it is important to seek medical attention if you feel at all ill after taking drugs.
“If in doubt, get it checked out,” she said.
“So, medical emergencies for these types of drugs won’t mean a person is passed out, it could start as a headache, a temperature, pains in your arms, pains in your legs.
“If you’re feeling anything that you think is worrying or a little bit different, the medics are your mates.”
HSE officials will continue to monitor the strength of the drug over the winter months.
Main image: A man taking recreational drugs. Picture by: Alamy.com
Reporting by Bella Finn and James Wilson.
