If it isn’t MDMA, then it’s very likely to be a new drug called n-ethylpentylone, testing by KnowYourStuffNZ has revealed.

Testing at festivals has shown that around one quarter of the drugs that people believe to be MDMA (ecstasy) are not as expected. The most most common substitutions for MDMA come from the cathinone family of stimulants (“bath salts”) and the most common cathinone seen this year is n-ethylpentylone. KnowYourStuffNZ have seen this drug at every event we have attended this summer.

N-ethylpentylone is a new substance, also known as ephylone and βk-EPDB. It was first seen in the USA in 2016. KnowYourStuffNZ testing found small amounts in New Zealand in early 2017, and it arrived at UK festivals for their 2017 summer. Testing at events this summer is showing it to be much more available now, often found as white or coloured powder that looks exactly the same as samples confirmed to be MDMA.

This stimulant produces some of the same effects as MDMA, but users have described the experience as “seedy”, “cracky”, and much less pleasant. Physical effects can include raised pulse and blood pressure, high body temperature, convulsions, acidosis, and rapid muscle breakdown. Psychological effects include agitation, paranoia, compulsion to redose, difficulty sleeping for up to 36 hours, and temporary psychosis. As this drug is so new, little can be said about the health risks of long-term use. We also do not know much about risks of mixing this with other substances but like other cathinones it should not be taken with alcohol.

A particular risk is that n-ethylpentylone is significantly more potent than MDMA so it is very easy to take too much. A common dose for MDMA is around 100 milligrams, whereas a dose for n-ethylpentylone can be as little as 30 milligrams. If people believe they have MDMA and take 100 milligrams of n-ethylpentylone, then they are going to be in a very risky situation.

This drug has already caused deaths overseas. KnowYourStuffNZ recommends that you do not take this drug and that you test any substance before you take it.

[EDIT: Two weeks after KnowYourStuffNZ published this alert on n-ethylpentylone, thirteen people were hospitalised in Christchurch after ingesting a mystery substance. Five weeks after we published this alert, NZ Police confirmed that the substance was n-ethylpentylone. This shows that KnowYourStuffNZ is already acting as New Zealand’s drug early warning system. However, we are constrained by the legal grey area that we operate in. Clarifying the law and allowing us to operate openly will save lives.]

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