Study conducted in New Zealand suggests first timers most cautious after pill tests at music festival

By Stuff

A survey of music festival revellers indicates first time ecstasy users would be the most cautious about taking the drugs if pill testing was carried out at the events.

In contrast, festival-goers who had already used ecstasy would only be more cautious if the ecstasy was found to contain a toxic contaminant, not if the test showed a high dose, or if the test was inconclusive.

Participants in the study also said they would be willing to pay an average $12 to fund pill testing services.

The issue of drug testing at festivals came up several times during the past summer. Back in October Green MP Chloe Swarbrick called for safety testing of drugs to be legalised ahead of the summer festival season.

It was clear recreational drug use at festivals was not going to stop no matter how hardline the approach, she said.

"This has resulted in unnecessary tragedy, with unknown users ingesting unknown substances, at times costing emergency health sector resources, at worst costing lives."

Drug testing had taken place at some Kiwi festivals but in something of a legal grey area, as the Misuse of Drugs Act makes it illegal to knowingly permit drug use in any premises.