Blog – Page 6 of 10 – Pill Testing Australia

Novel drugs are leading to rising overdose deaths in Victoria – drug checking services could help

Oct 23, 2023

Many of the harms people experience from using illegal drugs are a result of unregulated supply. Drugs may be contaminated, or completely substituted with something unexpected. They may also be of variable and unknown dosage or strength.

NSW Labor MP speaks out in support over pill testing

Oct 21, 2023

The trial would not require new legislation and could be achieved through “existing frameworks”, said Murphy, a former president of the NSW Council for Civil Liberties. He said NSW Health could issue licences to existing drug-checking services like Pill Testing Australia.

Greens want debate on pill testing after music festival deaths

Oct 14, 2023

Harm Reduction Australia and Pill Testing Australia president Gino Vumbaca said drug-checking services could not operate without the support of government and the police. “The bill would remove any doubt about our permission to operate,” he said. “Politicians are way behind the community when it comes to what people support. This is a public health program to help people get home safely, it’s not promoting or condoning drug use.”

Music festivals, drugs, and your leal rights when dealing with police in NSW

Oct 13, 2023

As the weather warms and music festival season approaches, a concern for many attendees will be how to deal with police and what your rights are. This is due to the often-overwhelming presence of police officers and sniffer dogs at festivals and concerts.

Pill testing service could return to Spilt Milk 2023 festival in Canberra

Oct 8, 2023

A deal’s not done until it’s done, of course, but Mr Vumbaca is hopeful after failing to get anywhere with hundreds of other insurers. If he is right, pill-testing at the festival on November 25 would be there just after possession of small amounts of drugs was decriminalized on October 28, so making penalties light.

Mother of teenager who died at Sydney music festival urges Minns government to introduce pill testing

Oct 3, 2023

Ms Ross-King and her family have campaigned for active measures to reduce drug-related risks, including pill testing. “The premier, government, governments before them … they want young people to change their behaviour,” she said. “They are not going to change their behaviour. The government needs to change their behaviour.”

Two people dead after attending Knockout Outdoor music festival in Western Sydney

Oct 1, 2023

President of Harm Reduction Australia and Pill Testing Australia Gino Vumbaca said his offer to conduct free trials had been knocked back by the state government for the past five years.

Fresh calls to end use of sniffer dogs at festivals after report finds low success rate

Sep 30, 2023

New figures indicate drug detection dogs have a low success rate. Some are urging for an end to their use at music festivals – as well as the practice of strip searches – and the implementation of pill testing.

‘Out of control’: new findings suggest NSW Police aren’t abiding by strip search procedures

Sep 28, 2023

Gino Vumbaca, President of Harm Reduction Australia and Pill Testing Australia, questioned why strip searching has to continue in the first place. “I think what’s fundamentally missing from this report is an understanding of the impact of strip searching people, and young people at that”

Waiting for a crisis: Fears as NSW enters festival season without drug reform

Sep 23, 2023

Harm Reduction Australia has offered to run a free pill testing trial at any festival of the NSW government’s choosing, but has been told no decisions will be made until after a drug summit.

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