NZ becomes first country to legalise pill testing

New Zealand has become the first country to legalise pill testing to protect festival goers.

New Zealand has become the first country to legalise pill testing at festivals.

New Zealand has become the first country to legally allow pill testing at festivals, and honestly why are they so much better than us at everything?

Last week, New Zealand parliament passed the Drug and Substance Checking Legislation Bill as a matter of urgency before summer festival season.

Several Australian health organisations and professionals support the legalisation of pill testing.

This new bill changes two current pieces of legislation about the misuse of drugs to allow festival punters to get their pills checked without prosecution, as well as allowing festival organiser to host pill testing volunteers.

The bill was introduced by NZ’s Health Minister Andrew Little, who introduced the bill by saying parliament needed to look at the reality of recreational drug use.

“The reality is, with the music festival season upon us, we know that some people who attend those festivals partake of recreational drugs and substances,” he said.

“They purchase those substances and sometimes they do not know exactly what they are getting when they purchase them, and there are risks associated with that.”

#THREAD We in no way condone drug use. But if a young person makes the mistake of choosing to take an illicit drug, it should not be their death sentence. Here’s 8 further reasons why we support legal pill-testing in NZ ⬇

— NZ Young Nats (@nzyoungnats) December 1, 2020

While the bill is temporary and will automatically expire in 12 months time, Little also stated that he’s dedicated to making the change permanent.

Australia has long been fighting for the same type of changes around festivals.

While many still try to claim that pill testing is somehow approval of taking drugs, many studies show that it’s just not the case. In fact, pill testing saves lives.

Before passing the bill, NZ’s Ministry of Health commissioned Victoria University of Wellington to research the impact of drug checking. In February this year, the final report found that:

“Of the survey participants that have used KYSNZ (KnowYourStuffNZ) drug checking services, 68 per cent reported that they had changed their behaviour after using the service, with 87 per cent of those that used KYSNZ reporting that their knowledge of harm reduction had improved … Survey participants demonstrated that regardless of whether their drug taking behaviour changed or not, behaviour change in terms of harm reduction practices often occurred. This is also consistent with the findings of international research”.

On the contrary, the study also found “there is no evidence that drug checking increases drug use or encourages those who do not use illegal drugs to begin using them”.

NZ Health Minister Andrew Little says he's determined to make legalised pill testing permanent.

Similar studies have produced similar findings in Australia, although ACT has so far been the only place to trial the practice (successfully, I might add).

In fact, in the 2019 ACT trial, the substance N-ethylpentylone was found on seven occasions. This is a substance that’s been linked to several festival overdoses, and thanks to that knowledge each person threw away the pill.

In New South Wales, the state coroner recommended trial pill testing after an inquest into six drug-related deaths at festivals from 2017 o 2019. She stated that pill testing “is simply an evidence-based harm-reduction strategy that should be trialled as soon as possible”.

Sad news this morning from NSW. 😔There’s no question providing an opportunity and incentive for users to interact with health professionals will reduce harm. #pilltesting#harmreductionhttps://t.co/ft7vZ4GdLR

— Pill Testing Australia (@pilltestingaus) November 30, 2019

In Victoria, the state coroner made the same recommendation five young men also had drug-related deaths. Several Australian health boards — including the Australian Medical Association and Public Health Association Australia — also back pill testing.

The Australian Alcohol And Drug Association recorded many more studies conducted around the world, all which ended up recommending pill testing.

In short, pill testing saves lives, which is surely the most important thing.