Six young people were taken to hospital on Saturday after taking ecstasy tablets at a Middlesbrough nightclub.
The six have since returned home after treatment.
They had been attending a "RIFF RAFF" night at Medicine Bar on Corporation Road.
Cleveland Police issued a warning highlighting the 'UPS' tablets which are believed to have originated in Switzerland.
In this guide, we look at the history of ecstasy and its effects.
Ecstasy, also known as MDMA (an abbreviation of methylenedioxy-methamphetamine), is a Class A drug which first came to prominence with the dance music culture in the late 80s and early 90s.
Users take ecstasy to feel energised, happy and to dance for hours.
However, there have been many deaths linked to ecstasy which has led to the drug developing a reputation for unpredictability. Between 1996 and 2012 in England and Wales, there were 577 cases in which MDMA was recorded as the cause of death.
One of the major problems identified with taking ecstasy is that tablets made by unscrupulous suppliers often contain other drugs, such as PMA, which can be fatal.
Other problems result from poor understanding among users regarding the effects of MDMA on the human body.
Evidence suggests that long-term users can suffer memory problems and may develop depression and anxiety.
The drug has also been linked to liver, kidney and heart problems - people with heart conditions, blood pressure problems, epilepsy or asthma can have dangerous reactions to the drug.
Ecstasy affects the body’s temperature control which increases the chances of overheating and dehydration, especially if the user is dancing for extended periods - but drinking too much can be just as dangerous.
Ecstasy can cause the body to release a hormone which stops it making urine. Drinking too much, too quickly can affect the body’s salt balance, which can be deadly.
An inquest into the death of Leah Betts, in 1995, determined that although the tablet she had taken was not directly responsible for her death, the 18-year-old had drank 12 pints of water in less than 90 minutes.
The MDMA had reduced her ability to urinate which eventually resulted in a swelling of the brain, coma and death.
The government website Talktofrank advises that users should sip no more than a pint of water or non-alcoholic drink every hour.
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