Political leaders call for pill test evidence

Two states have now flagged possible trials of illicit pill testing at music festivals.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian. Picture: Dylan Robinson

Two states have now flagged possible trials of illicit pill testing at music festivals following the death of a fifth person in 15 months.

In a significant development in the debate on the issue, Queensland’s Liberal National Party and NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said they would be open to the policy if they were shown conclusive evidence it would save lives.

Two people have died from suspected drug overdoses in the past week: a 20-year-old following the Beyond the Valley festival in Victoria and 22-year-old Brisbane man Joshua Tam after the Lost Paradise event in NSW.

One expert said pill testing had serious flaws that needed to be considered. John Lewis, an academic associated with the Centre for Forensic Science at the University of Technology Sydney, wrote in a letter to The Australian today there were “issues” that countered calls for public testing.

He said it was “not possible” for any equipment to identify all of the hundreds of synthetic cannabinoids, benzodiazepines, amphetamines and opiates used in recreational drugs. Further, a small sample of a pill might miss the deadly ingredient, as poorly made pills were not always mixed well. “In other words, merely taking a scraping may well miss the impurity buried elsewhere within the tablet.”

Carfentanil, a synthetic opiate 10,000 times more potent than morphine, is not detectable in ­microgram amounts.

“Carfentanil has been found mixed with heroin and cocaine, resulting in deaths in Britain,” he wrote.

Queensland Deputy Opposition Leader Tim Mander and Ms Berejiklian said while they were open to pill testing, they were worried about a “false sense of security” the policy would send.

“I’m concerned about the mixed messages and false sense of security that might provide to partygoers,” Mr Mander said.

“We have to remember that these substances are illegal and they’re illegal for a reason: one pill can kill. There would need to be overwhelming evidence from research to suggest that pill testing would help with the drug situation before the LNP could offer any support.”

His comments came after the Palaszczuk government ­announced on Tuesday it would consider pill testing, partly based on findings from a trial at the Groovin’ the Moo music festival in Canberra last year where patrons were able to test the purity and strength of pills. Tests found a Polish toothpaste in one pill, another with a muscle rub, and another with Hammerite paint.

More than 190 people were charged on Tuesday with drug ­offences at Field Day, a music festival attended by 28,000 people in Sydney’s Domain. At least four people were taken to hospital.

Ms Berejiklian said yesterday her government had no plans to trial or implement pill testing at music festivals. But she did indicate for the first time that if there was evidence the policy saved lives, she would be open to it.

“If there was a way in which we think we could ensure that lives were saved with pill testing, we will consider it, but no evidence has been provided to government on that,” she said.

“I will do anything that I ­believe will save lives and keep the community safe. But I worry that pill testing could have the ­opposite effect.

“Pill testing could actually ­result in people having a false sense of security and we could see even more lives lost.”

Ms Berejiklian added that her best advice was for young festival-goers to enjoy the day without ­illegal substances.

Emergency medicine expert David Caldicott presided over pill testing at Groovin’ The Moo and said the technology used was also used by Australian Customs.

“It’s as accurate and robust as we need it to be, to be safe and persuasive,” he said.

Dr Caldicott said the 20 seconds needed to test drugs allowed clinicians to talk to users.

“The first thing they’re told is: ‘If you don’t want to get hurt by drugs today, you shouldn’t be using drugs today’,” he said.

Alex Wodak, who has long campaigned for pill testing, said it was unlikely that trials would provide any sort of conclusive evidence.

Additional reporting: Tessa Akerman