Music lovers who take drugs at Adelaide's Stereosonic festival on Saturday are being warned they are playing "Russian roulette" with their lives.
South Australia's Police Commissioner Grant Stevens is also urging young people not to make "poor decisions" with the "potentially lethal" substances.
It follows the death of a 25-year-old pharmacist at the music festival in Sydney last weekend.
Setting up pill testing facilities at the event has been advocated as a way to help people wake up to their dangers.
Australian National University drug researcher David Caldicott says more than two-thirds of people refuse to take tablets if something other than ecstasy is found inside.
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But Comm Stevens says drug users would first have to admit to having pills.
"I suppose there is an argument for that - that if people are willing to disclose or come forward and have their drugs tested, you are increasing the level of safety for them," he told 5AA radio.
"But that only caters for people who understand the risk and want to do something about it.
"There are a lot more people out there who will just access the drugs and take the drugs."
The risk posed by party drugs will be even more dangerous during Saturday's intense heat with the mercury in Adelaide is expected to hit 39 degrees.
"Many of the illicit drugs you can consume have the effect of raising your body temperature anyway," Dr Caldicott says.
"The combination of the heat makes it all the more dangerous."
