Australian health groups push to for this move, which will hopefully reduce drug related offences at music festivals while also easing police work.
In an attempt to reduce recent drug related issues at music festivals, Australian health groups are lobbying hard for legal drug disposal or amnesty bins where punters can voluntarily surrender any illegal substances before they get caught during checks. Festival goers often panic and do stupid things to hide the drugs when they see sniffer dogs which can lead to unfortunate consequences.
The rising problems of drugs at Australian music festivals have recently been making a lot of news. With several people dead, more hospitalized and even more arrested for drug violations, the festivals have been been pressurized by the government to buck up. People were soon calling for official drug testing to make the drugs safer to consume but the authorities vehemently refused saying they would not encourage the usage of illegal substances no matter how safe. According to Fairfax Media, Harm Reduction Victoria chairman Bill O’Loughlin says amnesty bins at festivals are a good “halfway measure.”
Bill also pointed out that rather than posing as an obstacle to police activity, “It gives them unique access to the drugs that are in circulation.” Such bins have been used earlier in various festivals around the world and will now be put on a trial run in Australia.
