Health officials warn of drug dangers ahead of Calgary music festivals

With a line-up of music festivals happening in Calgary in the coming weeks, police and health officials are warning party-goers about the dangers of using illegal drugs.

"Drugs like ecstasy, PMMA or MDMA can lead to people becoming very sick, and hot environments and dehydration only further increase this risk," said Dr. Nick Etches, medical officer of health for the Alberta Health Service Calgary Zone.

"In simple terms, the body begins to overheat from the inside. Drinking too much or too little water can also alter the concentration of salt in the body, which can lead to brain swelling and may be fatal. Needless to say, we want people to enjoy these music events, without these consequences."

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Some of the larger festivals in Calgary coming up include:

• Chasing Summer, Saturday and Sunday at the Max Bell Arena Festival Grounds
• ReggaeFest, Aug. 19 and 20 at Shaw Millennium Park
• Country Thunder Music Fest, Aug. 19 to 21 at Prairie Winds Park
• X-Fest, Sept. 3 and 4 at Fort Calgary
• One Love Music Festival, Sept. 10 and 11 at Elliston Park.

Staff Sgt. Martin Schiavetta said police want concert-goers to have fun, but they need to be cautious, especially in light of fentanyl deaths.

"Although fentanyl is not a drug usually associated with music festivals it's something that we're still concerned with," he said.

In August 2015, 17 people were taken to hospital during Chasing Summer at Fort Calgary, after consuming drugs and alcohol. Six people were hospitalized at the same event the year before.

Some festivals offer drug testing stations for attendees, but that doesn't necessarily ensure safety, said Etches.

"While pill testing at events is a potentially helpful method of identifying the presence of one or more drugs in a pill, it can also provide attendees with a false sense of security as they are not able to determine how much of a drug is present, or screen for other toxic ingredients," he said.

"These tests will not tell you how much of a drug is in the pill you are taking, nor will they be able to detect all types of drugs."

Symptoms of an MDMA/PMMA overdose can include:

• Nausea
• Muscle cramping and twitching
• Involuntary teeth clenching
• Blurred vision
• A fast or irregular heart beat
• Shortness of breath
• Fainting
• Chills
• Sweating
• Dehydration​