Vietnam state media reported, as cited by a various online news portal that seven people are dead while an unknown number of people become ill "after a suspected rash of drug overdoses" in Vietnam Electronic Weekend 2018 (VIEW 2018).
Tay Ho District authorities said they are working on the tragic incident that took place at the music festival at the West Lake Water Park on Sunday (16/09), VNexpress reported.
Ambulances began ferrying patients from the event since 10.30pm. The first eight patients were rushed to E Hospital, a general public hospital seven kilometres away. One of them died before admission, and four died later. Two others died at Hanoi Heart Hospital.
"Initial reports showed that seven people died and many others are receiving treatments at hospitals," Vnexpress reported, quoting the district's spokeswoman, Vo Bich Thuy.
As of yet, a source from Hanoi police said they do not have the exact number of people affected yet. Also, there's not yet information on the drug responsible for the tragic event. A concert guest was speaking to the zing.vn news site reported that many guests were using stimulants.
Vietnam Electronic Weekend was one of the largest electronic music festivals ever held in the Vietnamese capital. Entitled VIEW 2018, the third annual Trip to the Moon festival this year had three stages representing the hottest electronic dance music genres in 2018 and was joined by top DJs including Ben Nicky, Yellow Claw and Headhunterz.
Drugs use in music festivals
Unfortunately, although not always, drugs use and music festival is not a new thing, and often go hand in hand.
The Vietnamese media VnExpress reported that last Saturday (15/09), a 23-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman died after collapsing from a suspected drug overdose at the Defqon.1 festival in Sydney. In 2013 and 2015 respectively, two men in their 20s died while attending the annual festival, both of suspected drug overdose.
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Detox.net, an American Addiction Centers Resource, has done Instagram-based research on drugs used in several music festivals that have promoted in the social media platform. It found that many music festivals, even though they have prohibited the unsanctioned activity, has audiences who consumed stimulants and other drugs substances from enjoying the event. Substances commonly used are like marijuana, MDMA or ecstasy, mushrooms, LSD, cocaine.
However, in Vietnam, drugs related offences and possession can lead to jail time, or worst, a death sentence.
Source: e.vnexpress.net, vietnamnews.vn, www.smh.com.au, detox.net