‘Reduce harm and save lives’: NSW to trial pill testing at music festivals

NSW will run a pill testing trial at music festivals early next year following recommendations from the state’s drug summit in a move to “reduce harm and save lives”.

The major call follows mounting pressure from experts and politicians, which came to a head following the drug summit earlier this month.

News that NSW Health Minister Ryan Park requested “interim advice” from summit co-chairs John Brogden and Carmel Tebbutt following the summit — a move understood to be partly due to the approach of festival season — was brought to light last week.

The government announced on Thursday that NSW will trial pill testing for 12 months, with the service set to be free and anonymous for festivalgoers.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said the decision was made to “save lives”.

“I want to stress that this is a trial, and we be guided by the evidence we are presented,” Mr Minns said.

“The trial has a clear purpose – to reduce harm and save lives.

“No parent wants to be given the news that something has happened (to) their child at a music festival, and that they are now in an emergency department or worse.”

Festivalgoers will be able to speak with a health professional and have a small sample of substances they intend to take tested for purity, potency and adulterants as part of the $1m trial.

Peer workers will also be available to give festivalgoers harm reduction advice.

However Mr Minns encouraged parents to remind their children “there is no safe consumption level of drug use”.

“I also want to be clear that taking illicit drugs remains illegal. This trial does not change police powers, and if you commit a crime, you may be charged and prosecuted,” Mr Minns said.

NSW Health will work with NSW Police to implement the trial, however illicit drugs will remain illegal.

The trial is also set to be independently evaluated.

Mr Park confirmed the decision had come based on the interim advice from Ms Tebutt and Mr Brogden, with the final report from the summit set to be released early next year.

“Based on this advice, which reflects the diverse range of views of experts, frontline workers and people with lived experience, we will embark on a limited trial of pill testing based at music festivals,” Mr Park said.

“As I’ve always said, there are no silver bullets here but if there are any further steps we can take to keep young people safe this festival season we’ll listen to the experts and the evidence.

“I’ve always said that we would evaluate areas for reform carefully, diligently and pragmatically – and that’s what this trial is all about.

“These are complex issues and we will be guided by that which delivers in the best interests of the health of the community.”

It remains unclear which festivals will be part of the trial at this stage however NSW will work with the music festival industry and harm reduction organisations to make a decision.

NSW Minister for Police Yasmin Catley also emphasised that illicit drugs are “illegal and harmful”.

“This 12-month trial focuses on harm minimisation for individuals considering the personal use of illegal drugs. Drug supply remains a serious offence and poses a significant risk to the community,” Ms Catley said.

“Police will not change their approach to drug suppliers at these trial sites.

“Anyone attempting to supply drugs can expect to be targeted by a police operation and brought before the courts.”

Harm Reduction Australia president Gino Vumbaca has lobbied for NSW to implement pill testing following successful trials in the ACT and Queensland.

He called Thursday’s announcement “great news” and said he looked forward to hearing the finer details.

“It was inevitable, in a way, given the results and the weight of the evidence that we’ve produced, particularly from Queensland and Canberra,” Mr Vumbaca said.

“We look forward to helping wherever we can.

“We’ve been running festival based testing since 2018 in Canberra and more recently in Queensland, and we’re looking forward to doing whatever we can in NSW.” 

Last week a group including Labor MP Michael Holland and independent Alex Greenwich put forth an open letter to Mr Minns pushing for pill testing to be introduced ahead of festival season.

More to come …