Drug Overdoses Reignite The Push For Pill Testing At Music Festivals

Doctors and drug experts are renewing calls for pill-testing to be introduced at music festivals following a man’s death from an unknown substance at a New Year’s Eve rave in Southern Queensland.

The ABC reports the government remains strictly averse to the recommendation, claiming it will encourage people to take illegal drugs.

David Caldicot, an emergency physician doctor, said pill testing at music festivals in pockets of Europe have resulted in fewer people using and mixing drugs. As a consequence, he says, it reduces the chance of people overdosing.

“The tragedy of this is the inevitability of it and we’re not doing everything we can to stop it,” said Dr Caldicot.

In terms of how pill testing would actually work, it would be much the same as technology currently used by customs officers.

Essentially, individuals would be allowed to take samples of their drugs to a team of medics and chemists. The would then check whether the chemical composition of the drug has caused problems in the past, and whether it’s too risky to use.

“It is good practice to suggest that we never tell them that the drug is good or safe, merely tell them what’s in their drug and contextualise it for their consumption,” Dr Caldicot explained.

“When people are given information about their health, not about being naughty, [it] changes two-thirds of their behaviour.”

Dr Caldicot suspects that the 26-year-old man who died over New Years celebrations had taken a synthetic drug. Another two people remain hospitalised, in a serious condition, after taking the substance.

“And now [we are] left waiting for up to weeks for what caused this overdose, whereas if a drug-checking team was onsite we might already know,” he said.

Drug law reform advocate @AlexWodak renews push for #pilltesting, following rave party #death in southern #Queensland. pic.twitter.com/lzK6bR02hq

— ABC News 24 (@ABCNews24) January 2, 2017

Lobbyists such as Doctor Alex Wodak, president of the Australian Drug Law Reform Formation, have been urging state governments to trial pill-testing at music festivals.

He claims the government’s refusal to pill-test is under the presumption that it’ll increase drug use. “But [if it will] decrease the number of deaths, surely that’s what we should be focusing on,” said Dr Wodak.

While most politicians are opposed to pill-testing, Greens leader Richard Di Natale has spoken out for the need to implement drug reforms. “I think it’s about time Australia had this conversation because it’s killing our kids,” he said.

“It’s time we recognise this is a health problem, not a law and order one. We have to have an open, honest conversation about this and stop pretending we’re winning this war – we’re losing and losing fast.”

Photo: iStock