Photos: J Brebner Photography / Wikimedia Commons

Pill Testing Could Happen Before Groovin The Moo 2018, Advocates Say

Pill testing advocates remain hopeful of implementing legal pill testing prior to the Canberra leg of Groovin The Moo in 2018.

That’s despite seeing the organisers of Spilt Milk pull the plug on plans by Safety Testing Advisory Service at Festivals and Events (STA-SAFE) to implement the first instance of legalised pill testing in Australia just a month out from this weekend’s festival.

Fairfax now reports that Dr David Caldicott and STA-SAFE are looking to bring in pill testing at the first opportunity, but that the ACT is currently the only state or territory where they’ve got the backing of government and law enforcement.

Spilt Milk promoter Kick’s Entertainment have claimed the testing trial was cancelled because STA-SAFE had not provided the correct documentation in a timely manner, something that STA-SAFE member Dr Caldicott disputed at the time, suggesting that the issue was a result of the event being held on Commonwealth land.

Dr Caldicott says that the issue will not be a problem at Groovin The Moo next year as the event is held on ACT administered land, not land owned by the Commonwealth.

“We have no intention of waiting for Groovin the Moo, we are looking at alternatives across Australia and the Territory before that,” Dr Caldicott said. “But this remains the only jurisdiction that has been bold enough to embrace pill testing.

“One of big problems is politicians who know nothing about the field of health making decisions about something they don’t want to happen without consultation and doing everything in their power to try to stop it happening,” he continued.

“It is clear that our opponents prefer to be ignorant about what is going on.”

In a statement today ACT Police said they were “satisfied” with the crowd behaviour at Spilt Milk, with only three people in total taken into police custody during the festival.

That comes despite reports by the ABC that there was an increase in use of DIY home pill testing kits ahead of the festival.

Must Read