The Yours and Owls music festival in Wollongong next month will become the site for the first pill testing trial in New South Wales.
Festivalgoers will be able to test small samples of substances by qualified health staff; which will provide an analysis on purity, potency and adulterants.
A counsellor will then have a discussion with the person about the findings in the hope they make smarter choices about substance consumption.
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The trial will operate alongside other harm reduction and medical services at the participating festivals for 12 months before being independently evaulated.
Co-founder of Yours and Owls Ben Tillman said the festival welcomed the pill testing at next month’s festival.
“While Yours and Owls maintains a zero-tolerance policy to illegal drugs, we are realists and see the abstinence-only approach as unhelpful,” he said.
“Pill Testing is not a panacea. However, it is a proven harm minimisation strategy that has been successfully implemented in many countries overseas for the past twenty or so years.
“Ultimately, we ask individuals to take responsibility for themselves and their decision-making to ensure they have a great time safely.”
In a statement by NSW Health, it reiterated “illicit drugs remain illegal… [and] that there will always be risks involved when consuming these substances and this announcement is not an endorsement of illicit drug use”.
People will never be advised that a drug is safe to use and that all drug use carries risks.
More information on the trial can be found here.
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