Prohibiting pill testing is 'purely political'

The NSW Police Minister has ruled out pill testing at the state's festivals, claiming "there is no safe way to take drugs."

The NSW Police Minister has ruled out allowing pill testing at the state's festivals, claiming "there is no safe way to take drugs."

Pill testing will not be adopted at festivals in NSW, the state's police minister has confirmed, despite growing calls for the decriminalisation of illicit substances at music festivals, and fears more young Australians will die if nothing changes.

Festivals had a wild return to Sydney on the weekend, with both Listen Out at Centennial Park and the Knockout Outdoor festival at Sydney Olympic Park drawing tens of thousands of people to revel in their stellar line ups. 

The partying turned sour for some, with 18 people admitted to hospital across the two festivals due to drug overdoses. Meanwhile, 73 people were arrested for drug possession and three for the supply of a prohibited drug.

But despite these harrowing statistics and long-term calls from academics and medical professionals for drugs to be decriminalised at NSW festivals, NSW Police Minister Paul Toole flatly rejected the notion of pill testing, claiming "there is no safe way to take drugs."

"Tragically, too many families and communities are living with the consequences of people thinking there is a safe way to take illegal drugs," he told The Oz.

"I wholeheartedly back the work of the NSW Police Force trying to stop people supplying and taking illegal drugs before it is too late. That includes the use of drug detection dogs.

"The NSW Government last month announced the single-largest investment in evidence-based alcohol and other drug (AOD) services in the State’s history, noting that illicit drugs will remain illegal.

"I cannot be clearer: there is no safe way to take drugs."

Six young Australians died at various festivals between December 2017 and January 2019 - Alex Ross-King, 19, Joshua Tam, 22, Callum Brosnan, 21, Diana Nguyen, 21, Joseph Pham, 23, and Nathan Tran, 18 - leading to an inquest into the deaths from the NSW Coroner.

Deputy state coroner Harriet Grahame's report recommended decriminalising drug use at music festivals as well as getting rid of sniffer dogs at the events.

All recommendations were rejected by the state government.

David Caldicott, Associate Professor in novel illicit drugs at the Australian National University, said pill testing should have started in Australia "a decade ago", adding that any reason against the decriminalisation of drugs in high-risk settings is "purely political". 

"The message that is being sent is that we care so little about our young people that we are unwilling to take steps to protect their lives," he said. "There is no evidence at all to say that pill testing encourages drug use, and the reasons for it not happening are purely political and ideological." 

Police continue to use sniffer dogs at festivals but have set up amnesty bins where attendees can dispose of drugs without fear of arrest.

"You could fund a pretty good pill testing clinic for the money NSW is wasting on sniffer dogs," Dr Caldicott said.

"There is a deliberate and active rejection of pill testing - something that a dozen medical colleges and peak bodies in Australia - including the Australian Medical Association - are calling for.

"That's where the expertise lie. There are no other expertise."