NZ to Implement Pill Testing, While Aussie MPs Bury Their Heads in the Sand
NZ police minister Stuart Nash said last week that he thinks independent pill testing tents are “a fantastic idea and should be installed at all our festivals”. He added that a “more compassionate and restorative approach” to illicit drugs should be...
NSW Police Treat Strip-Searches As Routine Procedure
The use of strip searches by the NSW Police Force (NSWPF) has recently skyrocketed. Over the last four years, strip search use has risen by close to 47 percent, with 3,735 carried out in the year 2014-15, while 5,483 people...
Man Imprisoned for Buying Drugs on Dark Web
A former A-grade Darwin rugby league player has been sent to prison for supplying drugs in the form of hundreds of MDMA tablets sent through the ‘dark web’. The Supreme Court found that 27 year-old plumbing assistant and under-eights coach,...
Representing Festival Interests: An Interview With the Australian Festival Association
Safety at music festivals is an issue that’s been of utmost concern recently. Indeed, over the last four months of the current festival season, five young Australians have died at events due to suspected drug overdoses. In response to the...
NSW Labor May Introduce Pill Testing if Elected
The current music festival season has been a tragedy. Just four months in and five young Australians have died due to suspected drug overdoses. Four of these deaths have occurred in this state, one of which happened last Saturday night....
The Dangers of Laws Against Drug Supply Causing Death: An Interview With Urban Survivor Union’s Louise Vincent
On the second last sitting day of the parliamentary year, the Berejiklian government passed legislation that created the new offence of supply of drugs causing death. This latest drug war tactic can see an individual imprisoned for supplying a drug that proves lethal...
Man Prosecuted for Possessing ‘Gel Blasters’
A Coffs Harbour man is facing charges of illegally possessing firearms after allegedly being caught with several ‘gel blasters’ he intended to give to his son as Christmas gifts. The story so far… At around 1.45am on 23rd December 2018,...
It’s Important to Know Your Rights this Music Festival Season
The music festival season got off to a tragic start this year. Two young Australians died after taking drugs at the Defqon.1 festival in September, while another drug-related death occurred at a festival at Sydney Olympic Park a fortnight ago. And despite...
Psychedelic Drugs May Reduce Criminal Tendencies
A study by the University of British Columbia (UBC) has found that the use of psychedelic substances such as psilocybin (magic mushrooms), LSD and mescaline are associated with a decreased likelihood of antisocial criminal behaviour. “[These results] certainly highlight the...
Premier’s Solution to Youth Dying at Festivals: Create More Criminal Offences
Following the drug-related deaths of two young Australians at Sydney’s Defqon.1 festival on 15 September, NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian vowed she would do everything in her power to shut down the event. But, after she had a moment to reflect, the...
