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Police in drugs warning ahead of Electric Fields

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By Amanda Kennedy
Annan and Eskdale
Police in drugs warning ahead of Electric Fields

SNIFFER dogs and police officers will be on patrol at next weekend's Electric Fields Music Festival to ensure it is a drug free event.

And festival goers heading to the Drumlanrig estate to see acts including Frightened Rabbit and Dizzee Rascal are being warned not to bring in banned substances.

Superintendent Graeme Galloway, event commander, said: “The organisers, the emergency services and the many agencies involved have packed in a huge amount of work during months of planning to deliver what will hopefully be a great weekend.

“Electric Fields is growing in size and from a policing perspective events of this magnitude bring their own set of challenges, but it is a rewarding and enjoyable experience for those involved.”

The superintendent says police will be operating within all areas of the venue and has issued a drugs reminder to festival goers.

He said: “Police Scotland will adopt the same pro-active approach to the dealing and misuse of drugs at Electric Fields as we do across the rest of Scotland.

“New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) aka legal highs have been proved to be dangerous and recent legislation has created criminal offences covering the production and distribution of these.

“We are working with the organiser of Electric Fields and part of the condition of entry is that NPS are not permitted.”

He added: “Anyone who takes these substances has no idea of what they actually contain. Medical professionals also struggle to identify the make-up of these drugs and as such can make it problematic for them to treat the effects.

“They could have been mixed with drugs or other substances and their use becomes even more perilous when taken with alcohol or, indeed, other substances. Anyone who feels ill as a result of taking any substances should seek medical assistance immediately and others should stay with the person who is unwell until help arrives.”

Meanwhile the use of Nitrous Oxide (laughing gas) and Amyl Nitrate (poppers) are also banned.
Superintendent Galloway added: “Drugs will not be tolerated at the festival and anyone caught in possession of drugs or dealing drugs will be arrested.”

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