Sky News; PLANS FOR LEGAL ECSTASY TESTING AT A DANCE PARTY

[phase_dancer]

Sky News this morning:

Australia's leading drug agency is seeking permission to set up the nation's first legal testing of ecstasy. According to the Herald Sun newspaper, police are being asked to support the plan, which would allow ravers at the Earthcore event in Victoria to have their illegal pills tested by doctors, but remain free from prosecution. Doctors would then advise the party goers whether the pills contain MDMA, which is pure ecstasy, or other potentially deadly ingredients such as PMA or ketamine. The green light for the trial is also being sought from the Victorian Government.

Sky News

 

[hoptis]

This is the article appearing in today's Herald Sun.

Ravers free to test drugs
Patrick O'Neil, youth reporter
06 Nov 2004

AUSTRALIA'S leading drug agency wants police permission to perform Victoria's first legal testing of ecstasy at a dance party this month.

Ravers at the Earthcore event will be able to line up and have their illegal ecstasy pill tested by doctors while free from police prosecution.

Victoria Police have been approached for permission and approval will also be sought from the Bracks Government.

Doctors will advise drug users whether their pills, which cost about $35 on the black market, contain deadly ingredients.

It is the first step towards legal ecstasy testing in Australia, a mammoth policy shift for the partly government-funded Australian Drug Foundation.

ADF youth drug studies director Cameron Duff said a small portion of each pill would be analysed in a laboratory later to inform researchers of the contents of tablets.

"We want to do this with full legal amnesty," he said. "A scientific trial to test this strategy is the first step to see whether this should be rolled out across Victoria. Whilst controversial, and may offend some people, it is likely to save lives."

Drug experts have previously claimed pill testing could encourage drug use.

The independent drug body's $3 million annual budget comes from the federal and state governments and corporate partnerships.

Demands for legal drug testing have been growing since Red Mitsubishi ecstasy tablets caused two deaths and dozens of overdoses last month.

Drug researchers fear more deaths if users are not educated about the contents of their tablets.

Ecstasy users will be able to find out whether the main ingredient of their pill is MDMA (pure ecstasy), or more dangerous replacements such as PMA or ketamine.

Every year about 20,000 people head to Earthcore.

This year's main event is being held near Shepparton from November 26 to 28 and tickets are $130.

Ecstasy-testing kits are available in Victoria, but no government-funded body has been involved in offering the service.

Mr Duff said intelligence would be shared with police.

He said the information was extremely valuable because Earthcore had a "street-based market in one place".

Doctors and paramedics would also be advised about different pills' ingredients to better treat overdose patients.

Royal Adelaide Hospital research fellow Dr David Caldicott said society had to accept that one in four young people had tried ecstasy.

Mr Caldicott has performed similar tests in South Australia and applied for legal testing with ADF support.

"We have applied to Victoria Police and a reply is pending," he said.

"We will be applying to DHS (Department of Human Services) and the Premier's office.

"We need to be taking teams out to major dance events like Earthcore to provide a pill-testing service.

"It is probably negligent not to. Hopefully we can get the blessing of authorities in Victoria to do supervised, medical tests."

Mr Duff said international research showed ecstasy users decreased their use when they found out what pills contained.

"International evidence has shown it is a great harm-reduction strategy," he said.

Drug testing available in several European countries for a number of years has led to a dramatic decline in the number of ecstasy-related deaths.

A Victoria Police spokeswoman would not comment on the application.

"Correspondence is a private matter, but our approach (to drugs) is usually education and awareness," she said.

Earthcore organiser Pip Darvall backed the trials.

From here

I'd noticed that certain people in this forum for the last few months were talking about something "big" coming up in terms of HM.

Does this mean John Davidson will have to talk to Neil Mitchell again? I can see this getting a bit of discussion in the news this week if the story takes off.

 

[my innerself]

excellent idea, I hope the testing goes ahead. Its about time they realised that the fight against drugs is a never ending battle, and that they should focus their energy on harm minimalisation and making it safer for recreational drug users.

 

[ld50 vs ssri]

Fucking brilliant, im over the moon about this, it has absolutley stumped me why something like this did not happen sooner.

 

[sydkiwi]

great idea but who wants to bet on how long it would take for nsw to bring in such a thing

 

[Chopper]

This is great news and would certainly be a very handy thing to have available at earthcore!!

Thanks to CM and Johnboy for all the work im sure they put into this!!

Now lets hope it happens....

 

[aesops]

From ABC.net.au

The Bracks Government has poured cold water on a proposal for the legal testing of ecstasy tablets at a dance party in country Victoria this month.

The Australian Drug Foundation has asked police for permission to test the tablets for potentially lethal substances during the Earthcore festival in the Goulburn Valley near Shepparton in northern Victoria.

A spokesman for Health Minister Bronwyn Pike says the Victorian Government does not support the testing of the drug ecstasy.

He says the test kits are inaccurate and give people a false sense of confidence about what they are taking.

He has also warned it is illegal to be in possession of banned substances.

The ADF believes it is a good way of minimising harm associated with the drugs.

Royal Adelaide Hospital Research Fellow Doctor David Caldicott has managed the program in South Australia.

He says it can help doctors and police track the progress of new drugs entering the market.

"We have quite a right-wing approach to recreational drugs in Australia," he said.

"I think we need to be a little more pragmatic. Quite a lot of people are using recreational drugs and there's evidence to suggest the war on drugs or zero tolerance message regarding recreational drugs in Australia is merely being ignored."

There have been a number of overdoses and deaths recently associated with ecstasy.

 

[gher]

great idea but who wants to bet on how long it would take for nsw to bring in such a thing

When hell freezes over, judging by the last article. Stupid government.

 

[Doooofus]

From news.com.au
http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,11303198%5E1702,00.html

==============================================
AMA rejects ecstasy tests
By Anthony Dowsley
November 6, 2004

THE Australian Medical Association (AMA) has refused to back a leading drug agency's proposal to test ravers' ecstasy pills at a dance party this month. The Victorian Government said it did not condone drug use, but was yet to rule out the initiative.

The Australian Drug Foundation (ADF) has approached Victoria Police for permission to test ravers' ecstasy pills at the Earthcore event in Shepparton, north of Melbourne, and proposes party-goers be free from prosecution.

Under the plan, doctors would advise ravers whether their pills, which cost about $35 on the black market, contain MDMA (pure ecstasy) or other deadly ingredients, such as PMA or ketamine. But AMA vice president Mukesh Haikerwal said it would not support any legalised drug taking or testing.

Dr Haikerwal said although people would continue to experiment with drugs at rave parties, the initiative sent the wrong message to the public. He said testing did not factor in issues such as quantity of drugs taken, the medical condition of ravers or their intake of water throughout the event.

"The concern is that no matter what the quantity or quality of pill, it's not safe," Dr Haikerwal said.

"Regardless of whether you test it (pills) to make sure it's not more harmful, it's still dangerous no matter how pure or impure it is."

A spokesman for Victorian Health Minister Bronwyn Pike said the Government supported harm minimisation, but did not condone drug use. Nor did it believe the kits used to test drugs were an accurate measure of the substances in a pill.

"The kits could give people a false sense of confidence and therefore add to the danger," the spokesman said.

The spokesman said it had not reviewed the ADF's proposal so could not rule out the initiative yet. Ecstasy-testing kits are available in Victoria, but no government-funded body has been involved in offering the service.

The ADF's push is the first step towards legal ecstasy testing in Australia, a huge policy shift for the partly government-funded organisation. It comes after Red Mitsubishi ecstasy tablets caused two deaths and dozens of overdoses last month.

About 20,000 people head to Earthcore every year, which will this year be held in Shepparton, north of Melbourne, from November 26 to 28.
=======================================

FUCKING STIFFS

 

[Doooofus]

He said testing did not factor in issues such as quantity of drugs taken, the medical condition of ravers or their intake of water throughout the event.

So why can't you hand out a leaflet giving information about these issues for the person to read while their pill is getting tested? Not testing the pills is just adding another issue to the heap, one which could be easily resolved and lessen harm/risk.

A spokesman for Victorian Health Minister Bronwyn Pike said the Government supported harm minimisation, but did not condone drug use.

Harm minimisation strategies such as.....?? Scare tactics? Raiding small time users of ecstasy in clubs? If they support harm minimisation they will support pill testing.

/rant

 

[Zaineaol]

Grrrr!!! fuck i hate this right-winged political crap... i feel like going to earthcore myself, with a backpack full of marquis reagents and setting up a tent and a big sign "ILLEGAL ECSTACY TESTING - RAVERS ONLY" lol.. put a hole in there hearts wouldn't it

jks.. i don't have the money to do such things, but im sure ENLIGHTEN would love to

 

[fcuking_in_heaven]

If there wsn't such a stigma attached to MDMA recreational use then i'd love to get out there like other bluelighters and fight for our cause. Unfortunately in studying for my profession of choice, i cant have a criminal record, so i have to keep quiet about my usage to the general public.

"Royal Adelaide Hospital research fellow Dr David Caldicott said society had to accept that one in four young people had tried ecstasy." Thats a fucken huge number of people. Yet we arent seeing people dieing as frequently as those who get stupidly drunk, smoke cancer sticks non-stop or OD shooting up H. Lets face it, if MDMA was as dangerous as the general public was lead to believe then we'd all be dead. But we're not and thats living proof that our drug of choice isn't that bad.

In my year or so of taking E i have never ever had a bunk pill that has made me feel sick, ill or left me feeling in any other state than happy. A few weak ones and speedy ones, but never anything that has made me feelu unwell. When are these tight arse politicians that WE voted for going to wake up and realise that they are losing theri supposed WAR on drugs.

Why fight wars when you can make love?:D

fuck in heaven

 

[hdang]

go victoria
perhaps the government should subsidise testing kits. just a thought.. finally they r starting to realise they cant stop us doing drugs, so they r trying to make it safer.

 

[mongman]

Just watched the 5 O'clock news here in Melbourne and there was a long item on the testing fiasco with both sides of the argument presenting their views. Plus a nice clip on the red mitsubishi's which they are STILL claiming are all deadly designer drugs! How absurd.
Good that the news are running the story though! Making people think about the issue is a great way to get the ball rolling.

 

[doof-kittie]

how long till today tonight broadcasts its own warning that "noparent should miss"?

Just watched a news report on this, rather odd as had fellow BL'er FlyAfterMe's mum in the room, asking if he was going to Earthcore, and if thats what he does.....
Noticed that the commercial station is was watching chose not to include the evidence from overseas about testing reducing harm/deaths as mentioned in the above articles.
I'm so over scare tactics and hyperbole.

 

[keystroke]

it's good to see drplatypus getting in there giving things like this a push


I hope this goes through as it might be a milestone that will further give other goverments the idea that this is good for everyone.

 

[Cowboy Mac]

Originally posted by ld50 vs ssri
Fucking brilliant, im over the moon about this, it has absolutley stumped me why something like this did not happen sooner.

Didn't happen sooner? It is because it's taken Enlighten four years to get to this stage, and with the backing of Dr. David Calidicott and Dr. Cameron Duff things have progressed well in the last year. Things this revolutionary don't occur overnight. There is a lot of movement behind the scenes and I just hope that now since this has gone public, it doesn't jeopardise the work we have done.

more to come as this unfolds...

 

[ld50 vs ssri]

I dont doubt that, i praise enlighten and all the work they have done, its absolutley priceless!! I was more pointing the finger at the government not taking things into account at an earlier stage.

 

[drplatypus]

I'd just like to reiterate once again that the hard yards in this field were made by the Enlighten Crew. Cameron and I are relative late-comers to the field, and have fleshed out some details, but there wouldn't have been anything to flesh out had Enlighten not stayed the course in lean years.
Incidently, I am mightily pissed at the AMA, and my next step is to open a can of serious whoop ass peer-education on them. The approach has got to be "If you haven't read the research, shut the fuck up, and sit the fuck down"- particularly if you are doctor.

 

[Zaineaol]

Go Enlighten! go DrPlatypus! Go BL!

The work you guys have been doing has finally paid off... ish... Now that the media is booming about the Harm Minimisation thang, the job we do as bluelighters and drug users alike, seems that maybe it is paying off!

well done once again

Party Safe
Zaineaol