Isle of Wight Festival Cracks Down on Drugs After Tragic Deaths at Portsmouth Event
Police have issued a hardline warning: drugs will NOT be tolerated at this year’s Isle of Wight Festival. The strong stance follows the tragic deaths of two young revellers at the Mutiny Festival in Portsmouth. Tommy Cowan, 20, and 18-year-old Georgia Jones both died after falling seriously ill within 20 minutes of each other.
Families Plead for Safety Lessons
The families of Tommy and Georgia have urged festival-goers to take their deaths as a chilling warning. In response, Hampshire Constabulary and Isle of Wight Festival organisers are joining forces to enforce zero tolerance on drugs this year.
Fewer Offences Thanks to Tough Security
- Drug offences at the Isle of Wight Festival have dropped dramatically—41 in 2017, down from 85 in 2016 and 117 in 2015.
- This success is due to strong collaboration between police, organisers, and security teams.
- Uniformed officers will patrol festival perimeters, engage with the public, and tackle crime head-on.
Police to Hunt Down Dealers and Users
Superintendent Simon Dodds warned: “Illegal drugs will not be condoned or tolerated. Anyone suspected of carrying or supplying will be searched.” Officers will deploy passive drug detection dogs and conduct thorough searches at all entry points.
Organisers have also set up amnesty bins before security checks, giving revellers a chance to hand in illegal substances safely.
Dodds added: “If you’re caught with drugs, expect to be arrested, lose your festival ticket, and be banned from the site for the entire weekend.”
Legal Highs and Nitrous Oxide Still Banned
Hampshire Constabulary reminds festival-goers that so-called “legal highs,” now classified as new psychoactive substances (NPS), remain illegal to produce, supply, or possess.
Nitrous oxide—better known as “laughing gas” or “NOS”—also falls under this ban. These products can be deceptively labelled as “air fresheners,” “herbal incense,” “research chemicals,” or “plant food,” but contain inconsistent and dangerous compounds not meant for human use.
Festival officials are warning: don’t be fooled. Stay safe, stay clean, and enjoy the music the right way.
