Editor's note

Another festival season, more deaths from party drugs. Year on year young people call for pill testing to be introduced at festivals so they can be sure of what they’re taking. Instead, policy makers push their “war on drugs” and crude messages like “just say no to drugs”. But they’re failing.

This is why doctors from the Royal Australian College of Physicians are now backing the call to introduce pill testing at festivals. While they admit it’s not a perfect measure, neither are other public health policies which have saved thousands of lives – such as bike helmets and needle exchange programs. Detractors have their arguments against pill testing, but none are as compelling or evidence-based as the arguments for it.

Alexandra Hansen

Chief of Staff

Top story

Pill testing is a rare opportunity to speak to drug users about their drug use. from www.shutterstock.com

Here’s why doctors are backing pill testing at music festivals across Australia

Martyn Lloyd Jones, University of Melbourne; Paul Komesaroff, Monash University

There are arguments against pill testing. But none are as compelling or evidence-based as the arguments for it.

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