21,000 festival-goers received alert health warnings on their phone. Photo / Gisborne Herald
21,000 festival-goers received alert health warnings on their phone. Photo / Gisborne Herald
Warnings of dangerous drugs containing pesticides and industrial paint at Gisborne's Rhythm & Vines have been sent to festival-goers' phones today.
Tairāwhiti DHB announced on their Facebook page around 4pm that drugs seized from the Rhythm & Vines site "have been found to contain dangerous compounds such as pesticides andindustrial paint compounds as well as other drugs including antibiotics and paracetamol".
It is understood the substances were found in fake MDMA tablets, which were discovered in a car by security.
Rhythm and Vines crowds bring in the new year. Photo / Gisborne Herald
An estimated 21,000 people are attending tonight for the finale of the four-day festival that started on December 28.
St John's head paramedic stationed at the Gisborne music festival, Shane Clapperton, said they had treated people for drug overdoses during the festival, but would not specify if these were reactions to the known dangerous drugs
The statement on Tairāwhiti DHB's Facebook page by Medical Officer of Health Dr Margot McLean advised that compounds found in the seized drugs could cause serious immediate and long-term health problems and should be avoided.
Anyone who feels unwell after taking drugs should seek medical attention.
Clapperton, said paramedics had already treated 700 people at the festival so far .
