FUCK YEAH: Australia’s First Pill-Testing Trial Green Lit For Groovin’ The Moo

In a giant fuck-off win for progressive approaches to drug issues nation-wide, pill testing has been green lit for Groovin The Moo in Canberra this Sunday.

The confirmation was made yesterday by ACT Minister for Health Meegan Fitzharris, who said Cattleyard Promotions, the promoter of Groovin’ The Moo, had been given the go ahead for the trial.

“The trial does not condone illicit drug use, however will provide an opportunity to encourage people who are considering using illicit drugs to modify their behaviour in ways that reduce risks of harm to their health,” she said.

The trial had actually already been green lit by the ACT government and the University of Canberra, where the festival is being held. It also had the backing of police and health authorities, so the hold up was actually around negotiations with Cattleyard.

The negotiations centred around the fallout if anything went wrong with the trial. Their most recent approval was based on the grounds that Cattleyard would receive blanket indemnity, and they had been offered a legal waiver purely related to pill testing issues.

The pill testing will be conducted by the independent Safety Testing Advisory Service at Festivals and Events (STA-SAFE) consortium, and will be based inside a tent at the festival.

Meegan Fitzharris has previously stated that police would not be waiting outside the STA-SAFE tent so they could prosecute people testing their drugs, FYI.

STA-SAFE were first given permission to drug test at Spilt Milk festival in November last year but the trial was benched right before the festival, with Spilt Milk’s promoter saying it was a paperwork issue.

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