News
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Dozens of Groovin the Moo attendees taken to Townsville Hospital
The hospitalisations come just a week after pill testing at the Canberra Groovin the Moo was herald as a success. The program tested 171 samples from 234 attendees. Seven dangerous substances were detected, with patrons using an amnesty bin to toss the drugs once alerted. But, despite the success, the…
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Geraldton residents and Gov ministers debate drugs
A Geraldton lawyer has called for the complete legalisation of all illicit substances — including heroin, meth and cocaine — a move he says is the only way to stop the poor and addicted from stealing to feed drug habits. “People are always saying the magistrate should just lock them…
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Pill testing: head of NSW inquiry into amphetamine use visits ACT trial
Ahead of the first hearing of the government-commissioned inquiry into the drug “ice” on Tuesday, Guardian Australia can reveal commissioner Dan Howard SC attended a pill testing trial at the Groovin the Moo festival in Canberra last month. The commissioner’s chief operating officer, David McGrath, told Guardian Australia Howard’s visit…
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Groovin the Moo: Fewer emergency department visits for Canberra over Townsville
Pill Testing Australia carried out its second trial at the Canberra event, with its organisers saying it was an “overwhelming success”. Pill testing Australia says those carrying the dangerous drugs used the amnesty bin provided after learning about the potential harm they could cause. “What the trials in Canberra show is…
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Pill testing discussion should rise above politics
Pill testing might be the thing that saves someone’s life – it might end up being the deterrent that stops a person from taking drugs in the first place. And if it saves even one life – then it’s something worth having a discussion over. The discussion over pill testing…
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Pill-testing passes festival test with flying colours
Professor Caldicott said it would be “lovely” to see a statement of support from the RACGP, even though president Dr Harry Nespolon and Hester Wilson, chair of the college’s Specific Interests Addiction Medicine network, were already on the record as backing pill-testing. Dr Nespolon said while it wasn’t a perfect…
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Groovin the Moo Bendigo 2019: Pill Testing Australia eager to expand its program following success
Dr Caldicott said the success in Canberra was a result of the strong relationship between PTA and GTM organisers. “It important to say we have built trust in both directions with Groovin the Moo,” he said. “We love working with them and have absolute trust in the way GTM runs…
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Police drug detection dogs encourage festivalgoers to preload, study finds
A study by RMIT University criminology researcher Peta Malins found dog squads are failing to deter drug-taking because festivalgoers are “preloading” or swallowing pills in a hurry before they are stopped. She said the implications of being searched by police during drug detection dog operations went beyond short-term public humiliation.…
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ACT Government to consider directly funding pill testing at future events
“We will have a number of options about the extent to which pill testing is a regular feature of music festivals here in the ACT or potentially a more regular feature of our drug policy and harm minimisation approach, which can include funding provided to Pill Testing Australia,” Health Minister Meegan…
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Townsville Groovin the Moo festival goers back Queensland pill testing trial
Mr Harper was one of several MPs who travelled to the ACT for a pill-testing demonstration one day before the trial. “There’s interest there (in pill testing); I wouldn’t have gone down there if there wasn’t,” he said. “After 25 years as a paramedic, having transported people out of our…