The premature death of any young person needs to be regarded seriously, but there are some uncomfortable questions that are not being addressed because of the preoccupation with the debate over pill testing.
A short time ago, a NSW coroner released her findings into the deaths of six young people, all from toxic levels of the illicit drug MDMA, at music festivals in the state between 2017 and 2019.
The coroner found that in these six cases the victims were not drug addicted, and had support networks of friends and families.
Her recommendation that drug testing be considered as a method of halting the rising number of deaths at festivals received widespread media coverage but there are unanswered questions that need to be confronted.
Hundreds of music festivals are held around Australia every year, from country and western to small-town talent quests and bigger concerts with well-known artists. Drug misuse has been a phenomenon at only a limited number of festivals. The nature of the riskier festivals needs to be examined in greater detail to try to find out what is happening, why these festivals attract the riskiest behaviour and how festival organisers are managing this obvious risk.
A common theme from well-meaning social commentators is that this is an emerging health problem, but to label the phenomenon as a health issue is a misunderstanding of the circumstances surrounding the deaths, which has become clearer from the coroner's report.
Each of the victims took a conscious decision to engage in risky behaviour, in taking an illicit substance.
Although the coroner found that in each case the victims’ friends had little knowledge about the effects of drug misuse, the warning signs are everywhere. Festival goers are cautioned about the impact of drug use, police sniffer dogs are on patrol and searches are conducted on patrons.
An expert witness told the NSW inquest: "Young people may experiment with drugs because it provides a form of rebellion; for sensation-seeking purposes; to alleviate boredom; to satisfy curiosity; facilitate social bonding; attain peer status; as an expression of solidarity; escapism; or to demarcate social boundaries."
I cannot help but compare the experience of recreational drug taking at festivals with that involved in driving. Excessive alcohol consumption and bad behaviour in cars inevitably leads to road trauma.
The coroner dismissed the "say no to drugs" approach and criticised the prohibition approach to drug control. But this has been a similar approach to curbing the road toll.
The "drink and drive — idiot" message, zero blood alcohol for probationary drivers, high penalties for culpable driving resulting in death and relentless breath testing are part of the community's collective response. Our community has decided to adopt these approaches because we fundamentally believe in the message and want to send an unmistakeable signal to people engaging in risky behaviour.
Should we be diverting health funds to pay for protection for people who choose to experiment with known, illicit substances?
There are about 1500 people who die from drug misuse in Australia every year. Many are addicted; some are from Shepparton. They have died alone, in pain, unable to handle the circumstances that propelled them into their situation, and without being part of a public debate.
Our resources need to be directed towards the reasons our young people are turning to drugs in the first place, and educating them, frankly, about the dangers of ignoring society's warning signals.
Geoff Adams is Country News editor.
More stories about pill testing:
Festival death fuels more pill testing discussions
No pill testing for Shepparton festival
Time to opt for harm reduction
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