• Former AFP boss pushes for pill testing

    Dr Wodak said the country was a global “laggard” in terms of drug policy reform. He said the arguments for pill testing had already been won but young people were dying at music festivals due to political inaction. “But we’re not seeing the political change,” Dr Wodak said. “The problem is we talk and they die.” […]

  • Tasmanian Labor to consider motion or bill supporting pill testing on its merit

    A motion calling on the state government to explore a pill testing trial this summer will be considered by the Labor party. Murchison Independent MLC Ruth Forrest will move the motion to be debated in the upper house when Parliament resumes this week.  Labor Franklin MHA Alison Standen said Labor would consider the detail and merit of any motion or bill…

  • Pill testing community divided over best approach

    The president of the Australian Drug Law Reform Foundation, Dr Alex Wodak, said the division between pill testing and BOH supporters is about which approach is more likely to succeed. ”Both groups are unhappy that young people are dying from drugs at festivals, and both groups are frustrated by the often-vacuous criticisms of pill testing. […]

  • The secret our politicians are keen to keep hidden

    If politicians are going to preach and actively support policies that are “tough on drugs”, as our political leaders continue to do, Australians deserve the respect of an honest conversation with the (statistically) 37 Federal MPs who may have used illicit drugs last year, and the 98 who have used them in their lifetime. […]

  • Health Minister Greg Hunt rejects pill testing

    “I think the social attitudes are changing towards pill testing and the harm minimisation approach,” acting Hobart Lord Mayor Helen Burnet said. “Hobart City Council is not condoning illicit drug use, nor the wrongful use of any drug or alcohol,” she said. “(But) this kind of risk-taking behaviour does occur, and there have been too many deaths at festivals over…

  • Federal Government Again Rejects Pill Testing Despite Expert Advice

    Canberra academic and physician Dr David Caldicott told 10 daily there was “no evidence” that pill testing encourages or condones drug use — “quite the opposite”, he countered, citing research from long-running programs operating in Europe. “Either a person making these type of comments doesn’t really understand the process, or they do and they’re happy to misrepresent it to the…

  • Pill testing: lawyers commend Hobart Council and call on state government to reconsider its position

    “This decision shows great leadership,” said Australian Lawyers Alliance spokesperson, Greg Barns. “The Council is sensibly responding to the strong medical evidence that shows pill testing will save lives, and to the growing wave of support for this approach.” However, the ALA is disappointed that the state government is refusing to re-consider its position on pill testing. […]

  • Supporting pill testing trials is not condoning drug use

    Testing drugs to see if they have been cut with poisonous substances does not equate to condoning drug use. Rather, it means the safety of the person taking what they believe to be a particular drug has been considered. Experimenting with drugs is a reality, but shouldn’t we try to reduce the harm associated with drug use if we can?…

  • As debate rages over pill testing at music festivals, a mother pleads for more to be done to prevent deaths

    Ms Ross-King also saw a demonstration by proponent David Caldicott showing how pill testing works. She believes that if pill testing was available her daughter would have used it, and she does not think widespread testing would encourage drug taking. “They just say this will harm you. And they say that straight up, there’s no green light from what I’m…

  • Pill testing won’t ‘green light’ drug use

    Legalising pill testing won’t green light illicit drugs or normalise their use, a drug addiction academic has told a NSW inquest. Ahead of her attendance at the annual north coast Splendour in the Grass music festival, Deputy State Coroner Harriet Grahame on Friday heard from three expert witnesses on the impacts of legalising such services. […]