If there’s one thing the ASSAD data indicates, it’s that the Australian government’s war on drugs—and its flaccid “just say no” campaign—is failing. In Alex Wodak’s view, the best way to minimise harm and ensure that we don’t “see young people die” is not necessarily to try and stop them from taking ecstasy, but rather to implement systems which make…

The so-called war on drugs in the United States has been a failure, with the added consequence that five decades of law enforcement efforts have forced drug traffickers to become more effective and efficient in distributing their wares. This frank assessment, by a group of researchers from several US universities, with additional input from Anthony Bebbington, from Australia’s University of…

If there was any sense to the logic that drugs busts lead to decreased drug use, we would not be in the middle of an overdose crisis, one of the most devastating public health crises in U.S. history. Despite literally tons of drug seizures over the last four decades, and millions of (mostly black and brown) people incarcerated for drug…

Drug use is a health issue, and should be looked at as a health issue. We need to trust our health experts on pill testing — and if they are saying we need to test pills to keep young people safe, we should. […]

‘The great myth about pill testing is just that we’re just telling people what’s in their pills,’ Dr Caldicott said. ‘The reality is that we know it works very well in stopping people from taking drugs – or at least changes the way they take drugs so that they don’t end up in the hospital.’ […]

Pill testing will not completely solve the problems associated with illicit drug consumption by young people at music festivals, but it does provide an avenue for opportunistic engagement with health professionals, drug and alcohol counsellors, and highly-trained peer educators. […]

Canberra doctor David Caldicott will fly up to Darwin and test pills for revellers at BASSINTHEGRASS free of charge, if the NT Government lets him. Dr Caldicott’s organisation, Pill Testing Australia, is offering its pilot pill testing program to any Australian jurisdiction keen to take up the offer. […]

The AMA has reaffirmed its support for sanctioned, appropriately supervised, and monitored high-quality pill testing trials to minimise the risk to young people, and build an evidence base to determine the effectiveness of pill testing in Australia. At its meeting last week in Canberra, the AMA Federal Council formally and unanimously reinforced the AMA’s support for the trials. […]

The AMA Queensland has issued a statement calling for a controlled pill testing trial, following the worst season for drug-related deaths at music festivals to date. State president Dr Dilip Dhupelia said urgent action is required following the deaths of six young people from drugs consumed at music festivals this summer. […]

Pill Testing Australia’s clinical lead David Caldicott, said he would be thrilled if the group could help Tasmania in its efforts to introduce pill testing at Dark Mofo and facilitate a trial. “In the end this is just to ensure people get home to their mums and dads,” said Dr Caldicott. […]