Yes to introduce pill testing... What a surprise!The government need to stand up and listen.

by Darren Veraar on December 18

Recently 7 News Sydney conducted a poll asking the public “Should pill testing be introduced at NSW dance festivals?” This comes after 19-year-old Callum Brosnan died from a suspected overdose after attending the Knockout Games of Destiny Dance Party at Sydney Olympic Park.

There seems to be a trend with the NSW government for knee jerk reaction measures, instead of understanding the fundamental issue underneath causing these deaths.

Some these comments are clearly of the same standard as NSW policy makers… quick and not very well processed. The question isn't "who's fault/responsibility is it". It's basically asking should the government get off their high-horse and introduce preventative measures that can actually save lives despite people making 'poor' decisions. Rather than the cut and dry response it currently has in regard to the matter.

The same investments they put into non-smoking campaigns, healthy diets and methadone rooms. Same concept - people make poor decisions. It's not worth their life.

Yes people are playing 'Russian roulette' by taking it, but the government LITERALLY HAS THE POWER to give these people the opportunity to look down the barrel before pulling the trigger and save their life. Why strip this away from them?

This has been proven successful at Canberra's “Groovin the Moo” festival. Gauging that we as a country have the most impure and harmful narcotics.

If we look at countries around the world pill testing is not new policy – where festival goers are allowed to submit drugs for testing to establish their content before consumption – which is already a common practice in the Netherlands, Austria and Spain, and has recently found support from several UK events.

Why are we as a country not taking measurements to combat what is and always we be a culture in this country, as prohibition simply does not work.

We need drug policy reform and we need it now, before more lives are needlessly lost due to government chin stroking!

What are your thoughts?

Do you agree with current methods or would you stand up against the broken system?

Let's see how this festive season pans out...