The pill testing argument goes something like this: if you purchase illegal drugs from a drug dealer we want to help you ensure they are still safe for you to take when you roll up at a music festival.
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Despite some success in pill testing trials, the premise just does not pass the water cooler test.
Whatever happened to personal responsibility?
If you purchase an illegal drug from a drug dealer and then plan to take that illegal drug at a music festival - or anywhere else for that matter - then you've already crossed a line.
Why should taking illegal drugs at a music festival be 'okay' compared with any other event?
Why should the police and the state government turn a blind eye to the consumption of illegal drugs at any event, but specifically during the popular music festival season?
The calls have gotten louder to investigate pill testing with the deputy coroner continuing her investigation into the deaths of six young people at a series of festivals.
Deputy State Coroner Harriet Grahame is examining the drug-related deaths between December 2017 and January 2019.
Those six young people are Nathan Tran, Diana Nguyen, Joseph Pham, Callum Brosnan, Joshua Tam and Alexandra Ross-King.
They were aged between 18 and 23.
But there have been several counter arguments to the effectiveness of pill testing.
There's also a question mark hanging over potential litigation around pill testing.
What if a festivalgoer is told that the illegal drug they've purchased from a drug dealer is not fatally harmful but it turns out the testing phase malfunctioned.
The festivalgoer takes the illegal substance. They subsequently die or are somehow significantly impacted.
What are the legal ramifications for the attending medical staff at the music festival, or the festival organisers themselves?
I've also read some arguments that the police should have a minimal presence at music festivals because it causes some 'angst' with the festivalgoers who want to take illegal drugs!
What, should we just leave all these people to attend a festival so they can take illegal drugs in peace and harmony? So they're 'chilled'.
Why should a music festival be any different to any other event? Why is that risky behaviour 'okay'?
How about we take that argument and shape it to the Port Macquarie community.
The Sharks and the Breakers or the Vikings and the Pirates or Port City and Westport bowls clubs have regular competition matches throughout their respective seasons.
These events attract great local support. And some of those involved in the sport and or their respective supporters drink alcohol. Sometimes too much.
I want the police to turn a blind eye to anyone who attends these matches from being charged for driving over the alcohol limit.
Just those events. No others.
And if they crash and damage their car or injure - or heaven forbid kill - someone else, I don't want the vehicle driver to take any responsibility.
I want to blame someone else for the tragedy. I want someone else to have to tell the parents, the family or the friends of the person that has been injured or killed that, hey, they were just having a few beers and they went over the limit.
I want them to say that it was someone else's fault.
You see, getting behind the wheel of a car while you are over the allowable alcohol limit is an offence. You will be charged and you could be jailed, fined, and or lose your licence.
Purchasing an illegal drug from a drug dealer is an illegal offence.
There are consequences in everything we do. Why is taking illegal drugs at a music festival any different.
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