​Pills containing “three times” the normal dose of MDMA circulating in Manchester

Pills containing up to “three times” the normal dose of MDMA have been found circulating in Manchester, harm reduction and drug testing service MANDRAKE has confirmed.

The pills are reddish pink in colour and around 1.5cm in length, embossed with the “M5 Competition” logo. They’re said to contain between 252 - 276 mg of MDMA per pill, around 2.5 to 3 times the usual dose.

Warnings have been issued over the super high-strength pills, urging anyone who feels unwell after taking them to seek medical attention.

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It comes just days after MANDRAKE, a testing facility operating out of Manchester Metropolitan University, found similarly high-strength silver pills embossed with Marvel’s The Punisher logo.

“Multiple, Red “M5 Competition” embossed Ecstasy tablets analytically confirmed by MANDRAKE to contain MDMA (252 - 276 mg/tablet) = to 2½ - 3x the common oral dose circulating in Manchester,” the lab confirmed on Twitter yesterday.

MANDRAKE is currently testing on-site at The Warehouse Project, ongoing since 2013, and works to warn its attendees of potentially dangerous substances. They returned to the club night at the start of the autumn season on September 23, 2023.

Read this next: Warnings issued over "Silver Punisher" pills circulating in Manchester

Earlier this year, the UK government took a "risky U-turn" on efforts to provide drug testing facilities at festivals and clubs. Sacha Lord, founder of The Warehouse Project and Parklife, condemned the government's decision, calling it a "concern to the safety of many".

“As it stands now, there is no testing this summer,” he said. “I am really concerned about the safety of many, many customers. The Home Office must put an end to this reckless disregard for the safety of festival-goers and reinstate the existing Memorandum of Understanding with immediate effect.”

Read more on how to protect yourself from super high-strength ecstasy here.

Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Assistant Editor, follow her on Twitter