Josh Tam’s mother’s plea over pill testing

The mother of a Brisbane man who overdosed at a music festival last month has backed pill testing, saying “prohibition will only go so far to prevent our children from experimenting”.

THE mother of a Brisbane man who overdosed at a NSW music festival last month has backed pill testing, saying “prohibition will only go so far to prevent our children from experimenting”.

Josh Tam, 22, had a bright future ahead of him, but a mixture of ecstasy and alcohol claimed his life at the Lost Paradise music festival near Gosford on December 29.

JOSH TAM’S FAMILY ON DRUGS CULTURE

CHARITY HONOURS JOSH TAM

WARNING AFTER FESTIVAL DEATH

An inquest is currently underway in Sydney to determine exactly what happened and how future incidents like his can be avoided.

Josh Tam died from a suspected overdose at the Lost Paradise music festival.

Josh and mother Julie Tam

Josh’s mum, Julie Tam, took to social media on Wednesday to plead for education rather than prohibition, saying on-site testing of substances could stop drugs from being a “taboo” conversation topic.

“The fact of the matter is, thousands of people are taking illicit substances, regardless of the potential harm or whether there are police, sniffer dogs and other controlling methods in place in attempt to cease usage,” Mrs Tam wrote.

“People are taking illicit substances at these events in the same scope, yet a blind eye is turned because it’s a taboo subject.

“The government must get behind a system that will increase awareness and education to minimise harm.”

Mrs Tam pointed to Groovin’ the Moo Festival, which had floated the idea of pill testing in the past.

“Trails on testing from Groovin The Moo Festival in 2018 and the subsequent report released showed us that education and information is a large part of the harm minimisation process,” she said.

Mrs Tam supported the idea of counselling areas being set up while people wait to have their substances tested.

Josh Tam was educated but unlucky, his mum said.

After the test is completed a medical professional should provide users with specific information about the substances they were consuming, she wrote.

Mrs Tam also backed wristbands, which would be handed out detailing what was found in the substances, which they can wear or keep in their pockets.

“If they decide to use them and react badly, medics can identify more rapidly what they have ingested and provide faster, more accurate assistance,” she wrote.

Mrs Tam also opened up about her son’s decision to take drugs.

She said Josh was not uneducated, but was unlucky, and it resulted in him paying “the ultimate price”.

“We talked, we educated, we warned him ‘it’s just not worth the risk’. Our son would just reply, ‘I’m not stupid mum’,” Mrs Tam wrote.

“Josh wasn’t uneducated, he was just naive and horribly unlucky. But responsible for his death, nonetheless. He has taken responsibility for his actions and paid the ultimate price for a poor decision.

“Can we eliminate it? No we can’t. Can we minimise it? Absolutely we can minimise it. How? Let’s start the conversation.”

Josh Tam was one of several people to have died from overdoses at festivals in recent months. An inquest is underway to determine what happened and how to avoid future deaths.