Australia’s, Stereosonic, is favouring the possibility of drug testing at its festival following the deaths of two attendees in Adelaide and Sydney in 2015. The fatalities of Stefan Woodward and Sylvia Choi occurred despite a heavy police presence last year. A dodgy batch of ecstasy pills is believed to be the cause of death.
Totem OneLove, the company responsible for Stereosonic, has stated that they offer their full support to any company that may reduce harm caused by drug use in addition to limiting illicit drug use at the 2016 editions of the festival. In a statement, Stereosonic representatives specified,
“In principle pill testing would have our full support as long as all the key stakeholders sanctioned the initiative to ensure its effectiveness, […] We would strongly support any policies or initiatives that would minimise harm, reduce drug use and make events a safer environment for patrons,”
The initiative is a movement lead by drug experts and health professionals who support informed decisions in reference to drug use. While government officials fervently oppose the motion, president of the Australian Drug Law Reform Foundation, Dr Alex Wodak, has proclaimed his dedication to safe drug use. Wodak declared he would fundraise $100,000 to limit drug use by informing individuals of the contents of their substances – regardless if it broke the law.
Should Stereosonic take the initiative to support safer drug use? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
Source: news.com.au