News January 15, 2019

7,000 set to march for pill-testing in Australia

If the government didn’t listen after multiple campaigns begged for a fresh approach to the complex problem of drugs at music festivals, maybe a large-scale demonstration at Sydney’s Town Hall will get their attention.

This Saturday over 7000 people will descend on Sydney’s Town Hall to demand the Government support pill testing at raves and music festivals.

The event, supported by groups including Reclaim The Streets, Sniff Off, Keep Sydney Open, Unharm, and Students for Sensible Drug Policy, comes after NSW health announced it was reviewing medical guidelines at festivals.

A teenage girl died from a suspected drug overdose at Sydney’s FOMO music festival on the weekend. The 19-year-old victim, Alex Ross-King, from the Central Coast, is the fifth person to die from a suspected overdose at a NSW music fest in recent months.

Reclaim The Streets spokesperson, Kieran Adair, said:

“We’re throwing this protest because we’re sick of reading the same headlines about young people dying around us. Festival overdoses are easily so preventable, the Government needs to stop burying its head in the sand and listen to the experts.”

Unharm spokesperson, Will Tregoning, said:

“The pressure’s really on the Premier. A majority of the public think pill testing is a good idea – even a majority of Liberal voters. Berejiklian’s saying now that she’ll look at the evidence, and that’s refreshing. The evidence says most people throw away their pill when they find out it’s something they didn’t expect. That’s what we all want, and it’s time to let it happen.

Keep Sydney Open Tyson Koh, said:

“Premier Gladys Berejiklian ordered pill testing evidence be banned from consideration, and then tells the public she hasn’t seen the evidence. If the NSW Liberals ignore life-saving advice, they shouldn’t be in government. No more reports. No more inquiries. The Keep Sydney Open political party wants pill-testing now.”

Sniff Off spokesperson, Xiaoran Shi, said:

“The war on drugs has failed. Studies around the world have consistently shown that treating drugs as a criminal issue and not as a public health issue has only ever led to more senseless deaths. In fact, we can see the evidence of that here at home.

“Strip searches in NSW have doubled, heavy-handed policing tactics are on the rise, drug dogs are more visible than ever before, and yet, young people continue to die from taking ‘unidentified substances’. Change needs to come now. The summer festival season has only just begun and the government needs to bring in pill testing before we lose another young life.”