The Health Service Executive has said high strength ketamine, a high strength MDMA tablet and high strength cocaine were among the drugs surrendered at the Life Festival in Mullingar, Co Westmeath over the weekend.
The HSE was operating its Safer Night Life harm reduction campaign and a team of trained HSE volunteers engaged with festival goers all weekend.
The trial was piloted at Electric Picnic in Stradbally last year and saw the HSE set up drug surrender bins which allowed people to drop drugs in and have them tested to identify if there are additional risky substances in circulation at the event.
The HSE said a wide range and variety of different substances were surrendered to the bins over the course of the weekend and it issued three risk communications via its social media channels about certain drugs.
The health risks associated with high strength ketamine, a high strength MDMA tablet and high strength cocaine were communicated in the alerts and by the HSE volunteers providing outreach.
The HSE said it also supplied over 1,000 water bottles over the course of the weekend to encourage people to remain hydrated, especially during the hot weather.
The HSE thanked the festival promoter for its support and engagement over the weekend which it said ensured a health and safety approach for attendees at the event.
