Published
Wed, Jan 31, 2024, 20:00
- Published earlier this month, the study arrives in the wake of nine suspected MDMA overdoses at Hardmission in Melbourne.
In Australia, a new study analysing drug-related deaths at festivals found that drug testing could have prevented the majority of deaths in the past 19 years.
Published earlier this month by the International Journal of Drug Policy, the study found that 64 people died at festivals between 2000 and 2019. MDMA was detected in 65.6 percent of cases, followed by alcohol (46.9 percent) and cannabis (17.2 percent).
Dr Jennifer Schumann from the faculty of forensic science at Melbourne's Monash University led the research, which took place at "dozens of festivals." "We know that the strength of MDMA can vary significantly in different pills and powders and many formulations contain substances unbeknownst to the user," she told Resident Advisor. "It's possible that information about the drugs these people were taking, along with harm-reduction advice from drug-checking service counsellors, may have prevented death in some cases in our study."
Some of the most "highly publicised" deaths flagged by the study occurred at events such as Knockout Ciruz, Defgon.1, Knockout Games of Destiny, Lost Paradise, FOMO and Strawberry Fields.
Dr Schumann hopes the results will contribute to Australia's harm-reduction discussion. "Two in three Australians support drug-checking services and there's been numerous recommendations to implement these services from coroners in Victoria and New South Wales," she said. Countless global studies, she added, show that drug-testing services can help people make informed choices, and therefore save lives.
The study coincides with renewed calls in Australia for drug testing after nine people were hospitalised earlier this month from suspected MDMA overdoses at Hardmission Festival in Melbourne.
Ben Taaffe, who co-produces Freedom Time Festival in Perth, is among those in favour of drug testing. Speaking to RA, he said the authorities need to ditch incriminating prohibition strategies for harm-reduction practices.
"We support ongoing calls for nationwide drug testing as part of our commitment to the safety of our audience and the dance music community at large," he added. "The evidence speaks clearly from around the world."
But not everyone can be as vocal. One promoter, who didn't want to be named, said public advocation of drug checking could put venue license applications at risk, discouraging organisers from speaking out.
With Queensland not too far behind, Canberra is the only Australian state where drug checking currently takes place–and where local organisation CanTEST has the green light to set up drug-checking labs at a health centre in the city and near several venues and bars. CanTEST peer educator Mitch Lamb told RA that three unknown substances were recently discovered by the labs. He said drug-testing pilots in the state have continued to be renewed "since evidence of harm reduction was provided by a 2019 festival-based pill testing trial," carried out by harm-reduction group Pill Testing Australia (PTA), which also provides technical assistance to CanTEST.
Lamb hopes that monthly statistics from ongoing drug-checking pilots will help set a precedent for other states to follow. According to PTA chief Steph Tzanetis, the drug-testing pilots have been possible because "Canberra is a small progressive state." Last year, she said PTA rolled out drug-checking pilots at events including Spilt Milk Festival, and more festival-based pilots are planned in both Canberra and Queensland this year. Other Australian jurisdictions have also been offered the drug-testing pilots, but ultimately, she continued, it comes down to "support from law enforcement–and the political willingness to let drug checking happen."
Last Saturday, Bristol became the first city in the UK to roll out free, government-approved drug testing. The pilot will run for three years. There are plans to introduce the service across other UK cities, too.
We'll report more on the Australia story as it unfolds.
Photo: Tijs van Leur