No guarantees
There cannot be an absolute guarantee that pill testing would have saved the life of the 24 year old who died at the music festival in Tocumwal (“Death a Tragedy”, Letters, December 5) but there sure is a significant likelihood that it could have.
Pill testing has been carried out over the last 25 years in over 30 countries and is one of the best proven strategies for reducing drug-related harm. The evidence shows that it reduces the amount and variety of drugs consumed in a session.
At a trial of pill testing in the ACT in 2018, those who were alerted to the dangers of the pills they were about to take, all threw them in the amnesty bin.
So yes, if government-mandated pill testing had been allowed at the Tocumwal festival there is every chance that this young man would be alive to tell the tale.
And isn’t a chance better than the alternative.
M McConnell, Giralang
Original un-cut letter:
There cannot be an absolute guarantee that pill testing would have saved the life of the 24 year old who died at the music festival in Tocumwal (“Death a Tragedy”, Letters 5 December) but there sure is a significant likelihood that it could have.
Pill testing has been carried out over the last 25 years in over 30 countries and is one of the best proven strategies for reducing drug-related harm. The evidence shows that it reduces the amount and variety of drugs consumed in a session.
At a trial of pill testing in the ACT in 2018, those who were alerted to the dangers of the pills they were about to take, all threw them in the amnesty bin.
The advantage of pill testing is not only that the young person is told whether the pill they bought is what they expected, or, to the contrary that it is contaminated or of a high potency but also provides an opportunity for a conversation with non-judgemental health professionals about their pill taking behaviour. They are importantly informed on harm reduction strategies, which includes the dangers of mixing drugs as the young person referred to had done. Often this is the first time for such contact with health professionals.
So yes, Dave, if government-mandated pill testing had been allowed at the Tocumwal festival there is every chance that this young man would be alive to tell the tale. And isn’t a chance better than the alternative.