Super-strength ecstasy pills containing potentially life-threatening levels of MDMA are in circulation in the UK for possibly the first time in five years, a non-profit organisation has warned ahead of festivals this summer.

The Loop, which has recently conducted drug checking at Manchester’s Parklife festival and in Bristol, has urged revellers to be cautious after testing ecstasy pills containing more than 300mg of MDMA, with average strength levels returning to pre-pandemic levels.

Drug testing at festivals is part of an approach known as harm reduction.

Organisers and police will try to stop drugs getting in, but most agree it’s almost impossible to stop it from happening at all.

On-site testing is done “back-of-house” using confiscated drugs or substances left in amnesty bins.

If testers find that something is potentially dangerous – stronger than usual, contaminated, or sold as something it’s not – they’ll put a warning out to festival-goers.

Studies by The Loop have suggested drug-checking can reduce deaths.

Another method, called front-of-house testing, is where people can take drugs to be tested to make sure they’re safe.

It’s been trialled but has less support from authorities. The boss of Leeds and Reading Festivals has previously said he was concerned it could give people false confidence.

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