Page 37 - WHACK35

Drug 2

Checking

REVIEWING THE
EFFE CTIVENESS OF
VICT ORIAN
GO VERNMENT
INVESTMENT INT O
(Pill Testing) DEMAND REDUCTION
ILLICIT DR UG
SUPPLY REDUCTION,

AND
HARM REDUCTION
STRATE GIES AND
PR OGRAMS;

PILL TESTING IN VICTORIA:
LATE TO THE PARTY

by Jarryd Bartle

D E S P I T E C L E A R E V I D E N C E T H AT P I L L C H E C K I N G AT F E S T I V A L S
C O U L D ( W O U L D ) S A V E L I V E S ,
P O L I T I C IA N S S T I C K W I T H T HE H A R M F U L
‘ Z E R O -T O L E R A N C E ’ A PPR O A C H

Last year’s Stereosonic Festival season will be remembered as a period of
senseless tragedy. Several young people were hospitalised for “overdoses” Drug
over the festival season with Sylvia Choi, 25, and Stefan Woodward, 19,
losing their lives to what is suspected to be a ‘bad batch’ of ecstasy pills.

Following these tragic events, several public health experts called for greater
harm reduction strategies at music festivals, with the introduction of pill Checking
testing taking centre stage.

Disappointingly, the political response to these suggestions has been one of
‘status quo’ inaction. NSW Premier Mike Baird called the suggestion of pill (Pill Testing)
testing “ridiculous“ and ruled out ever sanctioning a pill testing trial in his
state.

TO R 2 : D R U G C H EC K I N G / P I L L T E S T I N G 37

WHACK35_LYOT.indd 37 11-Oct-16 4:25:24 PM