Key Points
- The deaths of two men at a music festival over the weekend have sparked renewed calls for pill testing.
- Neither death has been confirmed to be due to drug use, but an MP and drug support advocates are urging action.
- Pill testing at music festivals currently only takes place in the ACT.
Pressure is mounting on the NSW government to start pill testing after two men died on the opening weekend of the summer music festival season.
The two men in their 20s died after leaving the Knockout Outdoor festival at Sydney Showground on Saturday and police are waiting for autopsy reports.
"It's not specifically being treated as a suspected drug overdose," Detective Superintendent Simon Glasser told reporters outside Auburn Police Station on Sunday.
Premier Chris Minns has previously resisted calls for pill testing at music festivals which only happens at festivals in the ACT.
Festival-goers provide a sample of their pill to analysts stationed at the event who are able to provide details about what is in the pill and the associated risks.
Trials showed many people who were told their pill was dangerous chose to throw it away.
Advocates call for harm reduction approach
Greens MP Cate Faerhmann and drug support advocates are calling for immediate action to avert more deaths during the festival season, saying there is enough evidence to show pill testing prevents harm.
"It's incredibly frustrating that governments don't seem to act unless there's a crisis but then all they've done after the crisis is commission reports and then not act on the recommendations," Faerhmann told reporters on Monday.
"It's going to be a very hot summer and it's going to be a very dangerous summer unless Chris Minns acts."
Faerhmann criticised the police use of sniffer dogs, saying the tactic was known to increase risky behaviour as festival-goers panicked and ingested all their drugs at once.
In NSW, police officers can undertake either general or strip searches if they have a reasonable suspicion of illicit drug possession.
"We can't stop people taking drugs at music festivals, so let's focus on making everyone safer," she said.
Police observe attendees at the Listen Out music festival in Sydney. Source: AAP / Samantha Lock
He begged the premier to take up an offer from his organisation to provide free pill testing.
"We are the experts, we know what we are doing, we have the experience and we've done it before," he said.
"We know the majority of the public support pill testing because the public realise that it could be them getting that terrible knock on the door about their loved one."
Health minister: pill testing not a 'silver bullet'
Health Minister Ryan Park expressed sorrow for the families of the two deceased men and noted his department took a hands-on approach to drug harm prevention at music festivals.
Measures include chill-out zones, on-site messaging about overdose symptoms and public warnings of high-dose or bad batches.
Tweaks will be considered over coming days but Park said pill testing would not be a silver bullet to stop deaths or serious harm from the use of illicit drugs.
"We all have a role to play in this space but no one particular initiative is going to give complete coverage and ensure everyone goes home safely," he said.
Labor has promised to examine legal, law enforcement, education, health and treatment issues including pill testing at a drug summit next year.
