'Potentially Lives Saved' With Pill Testing At Rabbits Eat Lettuce Festival
Out of 210 drug samples tested, approximately 14 were thrown in the bin.
Pill Testing (Source: Canva)
Last month, it was announced that Rabbits Eat Lettuce would be the first Queensland music festival to host pill-testing services, and now we know it was a success.
Over the Easter long weekend, Rabbits Eat Lettuce rolled out the state’s first official pill testing service in collaboration with Queensland Injectors Health Network, Queensland Injectors Voice for Advocacy and Action – and Harm Reduction Australia (operating as Pill Testing Australia).
According to a press release issued by the Queensland government, 257 punters had their substances tested by a qualified chemist and met with a harm reduction worker, with numerous people reportedly stating that they planned to “reconsider” or take fewer drugs than they initially planned.
The average age of festivalgoers who used the pill testing services was 28-30 years old. Out of 210 samples tested, approximately 14 were thrown in the bin. The most common drugs presented at the services were MDMA and ketamine.
However, the chemists identified two other dangerous substances: Dimethylpentylone (a synthetic cathinone) and 2-fluoro-2-oxo-phenylcyclohexylethylamine, both of which were missold or advertised as other substances. Canberra’s CanTEST pill testing service tracked the latter substance for the first time in Australia.
Professor Malcolm McLeod, lead chemist for Pill Testing Australia, told the ABC that festivalgoers presented to the event with a “wide array of drugs”, while festival organiser Eric Lamir said there were “potentially lives saved, straight up.”
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Shannon Fentiman, the Queensland Minister for Health, Mental Health, and Ambulance Service, stated in a press release that the state’s rollout of pill testing services is about harm minimisation and reducing risks for Queenslanders.
“The drug checking service provided health advice and harm reduction information to hundreds of festival goers this weekend, meaning that those who did decide to take drugs did so in a more informed way,” Fentiman said.
“Many participants said that they would reconsider or take less of the substances they had in their possession, which is an excellent outcome.”
Stephanie Tzanetis, Executive Officer and Festival Service Delivery Manager from Pill Testing Australia, added: “We thank the patrons who accessed the service.
“While there were no ‘high risk’ substances found over the weekend, there were some unexpected results, and Pill Testing Australia will share information about those detections for the benefit of the community.”
In 2019, two punters passed away from drug-related deaths at Rabbits Eat Lettuce festival.
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