With Launceston’s Party in the Paddock music festival coming up in early February, the debate over whether pill testing should be conducted at festivals continues following another drug related death on the mainland.
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The suspected overdose of a 19-year-old Gold Coast girl at FOMO festival in Parramatta marks the sixth young person to die at a festival in recent months, five in NSW and one in Victoria.
At the Party in the Paddock festival last year police seized cannabis, ecstasy, ICE, methyl amphetamine and cocaine and a total of 12 people were charged with selling or supplying controlled drugs.
Greens health spokeswoman Rosalie Woodruff said pill testing reduced the number of drugs young people consume and meant more of them come home safe from festivals.
“Pill testing can save lives, it’s that simple,” Ms Woodruff said.
“Young Tasmanians heading to Party in the Paddock should be able to access pill testing, so they know what they are taking won’t kill them. We don’t want any family to experience the pain of losing someone they love, which is what happened in New South Wales at FOMO last week.
“Young people have always taken risks, and always will. Taking a law and order approach to personal drug use doesn't work, and it isn’t stopping festival overdoses or deaths.”
Ms Woodruff said governments should do whatever is possible to keep young people healthy and safe.
“Pill testing at festivals like Party in the Paddock will go a long way to doing that.”
Last year the Tasmanian Greens brought forward the Misuse of Drugs Amendment (Drug Analysis) Bill 2018 which created a safe legal framework for the delivery of pill testing in the state.
The bill was supported by the Australian Lawyers Alliance and the Alcohol, Tobacco and other Drugs Council, however failed to pass in parliament.
Police, Fire and Emergency Management Minister, Michael Ferguson said there was no safe use of any illicit drugs and it is reckless to suggest otherwise.
“The idea that a testing service can indicate that an illegal drug is free of certain contaminants sends a very mixed and risky message,” Mr Ferguson said.
“Illicit drugs are dangerous by their very nature and young Tasmanians should be able to enjoy festivals without being pressured to take part in dangerous and illicit behaviour.
“We will not be providing quality control for illegal drug dealers.”
Shadow Attorney-General Ella Haddad said drug use should be treated as a health issue rather than a law enforcement issue.
“Labor supports a harm minimisation approach to illicit drug use and in government will work with health professionals on delivering more harm minimisation programs in Tasmania,” Ms Haddad said.
Alcohol, Tobacco and other Drugs Council Tasmania policy manager Dr Jackie Hallam said the council can’t help but be concerned about Tasmanian youth that attend festivals in our state.
“We are also very concerned about the misinformation out there. Pill testing is far more than just testing the pills, it is about health and prevention primarily,” Dr Hallam said.
“Workers never tell young people that drugs are safe, rather than tell them what is in the drugs and also the level of purity of a drug.
“Extensive research in Europe has shown that this has led to less people going to hospital, less risky behavior and actually less drug taking.
“Pill testing results in some people throwing away their drugs and deciding not to use. It is about exposing the danger of taking something bought from an illicit source.”
Dr Hallam said in this sense pill testing is an entirely sensible measure.
“It is our greatest hope that we are not called to comment after a similar death in Tasmania.”
A Party in the Paddock spokesperson said they were currently undertaking their annual review of harm minimisation processes and were unable to comment at this point in time.