#BRINGBACKDRUGTESTING
The News Movement is leading a campaign - backed by festival owners and drugs organisations - to get the Home Office ( the government department in charge of things like policing and drug policy) to change its mind over how festivals can safely test drugs this summer.
Previously, festival organisers worked in partnership with the police and other agencies to administer on-site back-of-house drug testing. Some festivals are now being asked apply for individual drug testing licences which can take up to three months to process, potentially removing back-of-house drug testing on site for the remainder of the 2023 festival season.
The UK festival season is now half-way through, and so festival organisers are worried about the timings of these new rules.
Sacha Lord, who runs the Parklife Festival has said: “Drug testing onsite has been an essential part of the work we do.. to keep festival goers safe. This move is a disappointing, senseless U-turn of government policy that puts people at risk’.
And Release, a drugs charity explained: “Back-of-house testing is the lowest threshold of drug testing possible. It’s used primarily to make sure that people aren’t taking dangerous drugs with dangerous adulterants’.
Previously, the government had backed ‘back-of-house’ testing saying it provided ‘useful intelligence…to implement hard reduction measures’. Which is why this decision has caused such a lot of concern, and debate.
There’s clear evidence which shows that testing drugs can make festivals a safer place for everyone - a survey by The Loop (a drugs charity) found that 2/3rds of people got rid of drugs if they were unsure about the contents.
A Home Office spokesperson said:
“Our position hasn’t changed. Drug testing providers must have a licence to test for controlled drugs, including at festivals.
“We have consistently made this condition clear, and law enforcement have always had a responsibility to uphold this legal requirement.
“We have not received any applications for drug testing at the major festivals this summer. We continue to keep an open dialogue with any potential applicants”.