Queenstown District Mayor Jim Boult is urging festival-goers planning to use illicit drugs this weekend to test them, following the suspected overdose death of a 20-year-old man.
On Wednesday, police launched an investigation into the sudden death of the man in Christchurch.
In a statement, police said early indications showed his death may have been related to a potential drug overdose.
Boult told Newshub the potential overdose "gravely concerns" him, especially ahead of the two-day Queenstown festival Snow Machine.
"Our town is a family town, we are here to enjoy ourselves," he said. "It's a holiday place, it's not the sort of place to engage that sort of activity particularly if it's going to endanger people."
The Queenstown Mayor said while his council is "anti-drug", he recognised people will continue to consume drugs.
"My view is that the best drug is no drug," Boult said.
"If you are going to take drugs I would recommend that you make sure you know what you are taking."
And Boult had a strong message for those dealing drugs: "Go away. Leave our town."
Boult's warning comes after serious drug-related incidents were reported in Queenstown at the weekend, where two people had seizures after reportedly taking MDMA.
Det Snr Sgt Malcolm Inglis said in a statement on Wednesday "the best thing people can do to prevent any risk, is not to take illicit drugs".
"Police strongly recommend people take extreme care as what they think they may taking may in fact be a completely different drug or substance."
