Potentially lethal doses of bath salts have been found in tablets being sold as MDMA or ecstasy in Christchurch, according to drug monitoring group KnowYourStuff.
Police confirmed they've been alerted to the dangerous levels of eutylone being found in pink 'Red Bull' tablets in Christchurch.
The tablets are pale pink, rounded rectangle and have an embossed image of the Red Bull logo.
KnowYourStuff says the 440mg tablets contain around 300-350mg of eutylone, commonly known as bath salts.
"This is a dangerous amount of eutylone and we recommend not taking these pills," the group says.
Another pill is round, blue with a Playboy logo on it.
The party pill warning comes with a major festival in Christchurch this weekend and as university orientation weeks are already underway.
"This pill was not weighed, but the spectrometer came back showing at least 50 per cent eutylone so it is likely this pill contains over 100mg of it," KnowYourStuff says.
Police say people are strongly urged not to take the tablets, echoing KnowYourStuff's warning.
"This amount is dangerous and very likely to cause harm," police say.
"People who have taken similar doses have reported not being able to sleep for several days, anxiety, paranoia and feeling unwell for up to 10 days after. It is possible this could be a fatal dose."
KnowYourStuff says 40 per cent of the samples they tested yesterday for University of Canterbury and Lincoln University's students' associations' orientation week events were found to contain eutylone.
Ecstasy is a Class B (high risk) drug and it's illegal to use, possess or deal in New Zealand.
Possession faces up to three months in prison or a $500 fine, while supply or manufacture faces up to 14 years imprisonment.
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