Urgent health warning as Nike branded MDMA pills lead to spike in Melbourne hospitalisations

Victorians are being warned about a toxic batch of pills — sold as MDMA — that have been laced with a “potent” synthetic.

Dangerous pills stamped with the Nike tick are landing Victorians in hospital after consuming a toxic synthetic. Picture: Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images

Dangerous pills stamped with a Nike tick have hospitalised several Victorians who mistakenly took a “potent and unpredictable” synthetic.

The health department has issued an urgent alert, warning the pills — being sold as MDMA — have been circulating in Victoria and been linked to a “number of recent cases … (of) people requiring emergency care”.

While the orange “brick-shaped” tablets do contain MDMA, they also have an unpredictable synthetic cathinone called Pentylone.

When taken together, the risk of “toxic effects” increases.

The dangerous MDMA in question is described as orange ‘brick-shaped’ tablets.

Authorities are also aware of other cathinones products being miss-sold as ecstasy, despite containing no MDMA.

They warned Pentylone can cause less euphoria and psychedelic effects than MDMA – which can lead to users increasing their dose, unaware they are taking another potent drug.

“Higher doses of synthetic cathinones can lead to long periods of sleeplessness and muscle twitching, increased risk of agitation, paranoia and hallucinations, and toxic effects such as overheating and heart problems,” the alert read.

Authorities also warned of the dangers of combining cathinones with psychedelics such as LSD – with risks including “behaviour disturbances that place people at immediate risk”.