Thousands to march for pill testing in Sydney on Saturday

Thousands of Sydneysiders are expected at Sydney’s town hall for a march to Hyde Park on Saturday in support of pill testing at festivals. It comes after the death of a fifth young person at a dance festival this summer.

Police officer with sniffer dog checking concert goers for drugs, at the inaugural V Outdoor Musical Festival at Centennial Park in Sydney.

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Thousands of Sydneysiders will convene at Sydney’s town hall on Saturday in support of pill testing at festivals.

It comes after the death of a fifth young person at a dance festival this summer.

Organisers of the march for pill testing said enough is enough and are calling on the government to support pill testing at raves and music festivals.

The event has already attracted more than 8600 people showing their interest on its Facebook page.

More than 1900 have declared they are going to do the march.

“The failed war on drugs has killed our friends, family, and others in our community for decades while politicians and police have wilfully ignored the mounting evidence that zero-tolerance drug policing does not work,” the event page states.

The protest will meet at Town hall at 4pm on Saturday, where experts and campaigners will speak, before the group moves to Hyde Park.

Police officer with sniffer dog checking concert goers for drugs, at the inaugural V Outdoor Musical Festival at Centennial Park in Sydney.

Co-organiser, Kieran Adair from Reclaim the Streets said he is sick of reading the same headlines about young people dying.

“Festival overdoses are easily so preventable, the Government needs to stop burying its head in the sand and listen to the experts,” Mr Adair said.

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And Sniff Off’s Xiaoran Shi said studies around the world have consistently shown that treating drugs as a criminal issue and not as a public health issue “has only ever led to more senseless deaths,” she said.

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“The summer festival season has only just begun and the government needs to bring in pill testing before we lose another young life.

“I’m really hoping it will have a good turn out and thousands of young people will stand together and say enough is enough, it’s time to take our lives seriously.”

Alex Ross-King, 19, who died of a drug overdose at the FOMO music festival in Parramatta on January 12. Her death - the fifth death of a young person at a festival this summer - has shattered her family and shocked the community.

Independent MP for Sydney, Alex Greenwich has thrown his support behind the campaign.

Mr Greenwich, who has a long history of supporting harm minimisation measures said he hopes the tragic loss of life will be a catalyst for decision makers to listen to the experts.

He said he would like to see a trial of pill testing at festivals.

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“Pill testing would provide young people the opportunity to find out what is in their drugs before they decide to take them,” Mr Greenwich said.

“It has saved lives overseas and the Canberra trial showed there are ways to keep people who use drugs safer.

“Politicians saying don’t take drugs doesn't’ save lives and it doesn't stop people taking drugs.

“We need to see harm minimisation measures where people can be informed and have the medical support and care to ensure people have the accurate information and know the negative consequences when consuming such an illicit substance.”

Last week Mr Greenwich asked Premier Gladys Berejiklian to hold a Drug Summit to look at options to keep people safe including pill testing.

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