A young man is fighting for his life after overdosing at a notorious music festival in western Victoria as police vowed to crack down on illegal activity.
The Rainbow Serpent Festival started on Friday in Lexton, near Ballarat, and police are on high alert following behaviour that has "marred" the five-day event in previous years.
A man in his 20s was taken to the Ballarat Base Public Hospital on Friday in a critical condition after a drug overdose, Ambulance Victoria confirmed.
Paramedics were called to the site just before 3.30am on Friday.
The festival has been marred by controversy since last year after two sexual assaults were reported, five people were arrested for drug possession and 44 people tested positive to drug driving.
"For anyone who is intending to take illicit drugs, we'd simply say don't do it," Ballarat Local Area Commander Inspector Dan Davidson said.
"Drugs are manufactured by criminals who have no regard for the wellbeing of those taking them."
Anyone engaging in illicit activity should expect to be charged and evicted from the event, he added.
It comes as the political debate about pill testing rages after five people died from suspected drug overdoses at NSW festivals since September.
Australian Medication Association President Tony Bartone on Wednesday said properly monitored trials were needed to prevent future deaths.
"Trying to control it and remove it from the streets is not working," he told ABC radio.
"We can't stick our heads in the sand and say that it's illegal and that's all that should be done ... we've got to be innovative and look at a harm minimisation strategy."
Meanwhile a festival goer is seriously injured and two others are in hospital after a truck rolled into a campsite on Thursday afternoon.
A man aged in his 30s was flown to the Alfred hospital in a serious but stable condition with injuries to his chest, legs, hand and face, while two women were taken to Ballarat Base Hospital in a stable condition.
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