News
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Festival drug testing a bitter pill for some
The issue of evidence, as Dr Wodak and others have been at some pains to point out, can easily be addressed by asking the relevant authorities to review the outcomes of pill testing trials in countries such as the Netherlands, Switzerland and Spain, as well as in the ACT. This…
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‘It would save lives’: Raver presents the case for pill-testing
Tony Trimingham’s son Damien also fell victim to a fatal overdose – but his view on pill-testing could not be more opposed to Mr Wood’s. He said he believed anything to make people think twice had to be worth trying. “We’ve got to introduce it, it’s a way of saving…
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‘Encouraging ignorance’: why pill testing should go ahead
Young people are being told they are not making safe decisions, yet they are denied the information upon which to base these decisions. If giving knowledge is a gift, denying it amounts to a refusal of that person’s humanity. […]
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Concerns over pill testing ‘misinformed’
A leading Queensland civil libertarian has poured cold water on a warning that pill testing could be a legal liability minefield. Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers has entered the pill testing debate saying pill testers could be charged if a person dies from a drug that had been given…
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Consortium asked to test pills by festival promoters Australia-wide
“We’ve been getting calls from promoters all around the country wanting us to do pill testing, there’s been a change in momentum,” Mr Vumbaca said. “They do a hell of a lot of work in maintaining patron safety and protecting the health of patrons. While program like ours is not…
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I know all the risks but I’m still going to take drugs at festivals
In the absence of a better system, most of us just turn to past experiences and word of mouth as a safety net, which is exactly why we need pill-testing. Pill-testing isn’t going to save the man chewing his face off taking eight caps on a 35 degree day. But…
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Harm reduction is the key to pill testing debate
This week on The Drum on ABC TV, I asked advocate for drug reform, Alex Wodak, if he thought the political will would ever come for pill testing at music festivals. He replied: “Harm reduction debates almost always end up with harm reduction winning in the end, but it’s often a big…
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The young deserve protection, whether they’re taking risks or not
Working in healthcare I know the tragic consequences recreational drugs can have. We have a collective moral responsibility to protect people from this, but we are failing. Our young people are being killed with increasing frequency, but we refuse to change policy. They say stupidity is doing the same thing…
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Substances a ‘health issue’
“The benefits of pill testing go beyond being able to determine what the chemical make-up of a drug is and providing this level of information,” Ms Lucas said. “When a person has their drug tested at a pill testing tent, they are actively engaged with a health professional to talk about their…
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‘What’s with the dumb warning?’: Why young drug users do not believe the agony of ecstasy
“There is no evidence to show that pill testing encourages drug use, and people who have a substance tested often elect to throw it away when they find out what it really is,” he said. “Drug use has been part of human culture for thousands of years. Pill testing won’t…
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New Zealand unveils plans to have pill testing at ALL music festivals – as Australia refuses to discuss the idea despite five overdose deaths since September
‘The war on drugs hasn’t worked in the past 20 years, so it’s time to change to a more compassionate and restorative approach,’ Mr Nash told Stuff. ‘If someone is dealing they will be taken through the justice system. But if it was someone who has one or two pills, you don’t…
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There’s merit in a pill-testing trial
The Age believes, cautiously, that a trial of pill testing at public events involving chiefly young people has merit. We have argued that the debate should be led by evidence rather than simple ideology. On this basis, a well-regulated trial makes sense. […]