The State Government won’t be making changes to allow pill testing at music festivals despite a recent surge of drug-related hospitalisations across the country.
Despite the number of festivals set to take place this year, and test kits being rolled out in other states, a Government spokesperson confirmed WA will not be changing its position.
“The Cook Government has no plans to introduce pill testing in Western Australia at this time,” they said.
“However we continue to monitor emerging pill-testing research, including the outcomes of the ACT’s pill-testing pilot.”
National Drug Research Institute research associate Dr Jodie Grigg said the State Government needs to take more action.
“It’s not a new initiative, it’s been operating internationally for up to 50 years and is now in at least 28 countries,” she said.
“We all agree that drug checking is not a silver bullet and it needs to be part of a whole suite of harm reduction measures but it’s a strategy that now has a strong evidence base.”
Concern around drug use safety at festivals has risen this year after nine people in Melbourne were hospitalised following overdoses at a rave.
A week after that incident, a similar situation arose at the Juicy Fest which saw two more women in hospital.
Dr Grigg said safety should become a priority at music festivals, but that the government’s current approach pushes users to purchase substances from more discreet, riskier sources.
“If there’s demand inside the festival, that demand is going to be met,” she said.
“No government is going to be able to stop drug use, but what we are aiming to do is reduce the harm associated with that drug use.”