Drug Summit Priorities and Don’t Wait Until Next Year on Pill Testing
Greens MP and drug law reform and harm reduction spokesperson Cate Faehrmann will attend the two hearings of the drug summit in Sydney today and tomorrow.
The Greens' priorities, which align with what many legal, health, alcohol and other drug experts, people with lived experience and their families, and other stakeholders are advocating, include:
- Treating Drug Use as a Health Issue by Removing Criminal Penalties for Drug Use and Possession
- Reforming Roadside Drug Testing Laws for Medicinal Cannabis Users
- Ending Sniffer Dogs and Strip Searches
- Taxing and Regulating Cannabis
- Providing Pill Testing at Music Festivals and Fixed Locations THIS SUMMER
“I look forward to working with the experts and people from all sides of politics over the next two days to come up with recommendations for the Government on how to reduce the harm from drugs. The biggest thing the Government could do to reduce the harm from drugs is to treat drug use as a health issue, not a criminal one,” said Cate Faehrmann
“They also need to allow pill testing this summer. The Government has already indicated that any recommendations arising from the summit won’t be handed down until February. This is too late to help ensure a safe summer festival season.
“We know there are organisations ready to provide professional pill testing services in NSW and following the drug summit, there is really no more reason for delay.
“Pill testing is a proven harm-reduction measure that can reduce the risk of overdoses or death. Australia is experiencing an alarming rise in deadly opioids, like fentanyl and nitazenes, being found in other drugs like cocaine and heroin.
“It’s incredibly frustrating that this proven harm reduction measure is being prevented from operating at NSW music festivals when the Qld, Victorian and ACT Governments have had the courage and common sense to allow it.
“I attended the Lismore drug summit and the vast majority of stakeholders supported pill testing and wanted the Government to just get on with it.
”The overwhelming majority of experts at the drug summit will all agree that pill testing is a no-brainer and reduces the harm from drugs.
“My message to the Government is this:
This isn’t about stopping people from taking drugs.
Governments have tried that for decades and it doesn’t work.
This must be about saving lives.
Don’t wait another summer until you do this one simple thing that could save a young person’s life.
Test the Pills now.”