Electric Picnic attendees advised to look after their 'festival health'

Eva Osborne

As Electric Picnic approaches, attendees are being advised to look after their "festival health".

The HSE harm reduction initiative will be in Stradbally for the duration of the festival, which runs from Friday, August 29th - Sunday, August 31st.

The back-of-house testing can be carried out on drugs connected with a person brought to a medical tent and on drugs placed in "surrender bins".

Chief executive and founder of Psych Care, Mick Ledden, said there are some issues first timers may have.

"People who are underprepared maybe practically and then the weather gets them, maybe their mental health becomes an issue when they're at the festival, fights with friends, difficulties there, or all the common substance-induced issues," he said.

"We can dive into specifics but I think really to inform yourself first and foremost about what these drugs are.

"Don't take anything that somebody just offers you, you know, to just be really clear on what your boundaries are."