On site drug testing

[Skip997]

Festival drug tests: Artists and MPs write open letter to government

• Published
  1 day ago

 

 

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption,

Norman Cook, aka Fatboy Slim, who played Glastonbury this year, was one of the artists who signed a letter calling for festival drug tests to go ahead

A group of musicians and MPs has urged the government to allow on-site drug testing at UK festivals to go ahead.

The open letter calls on ministers to "reconsider" the Home Office requirement for a special licence.

It says safety testing "undoubtedly saves lives" and has been happening without these permits since 2014.

The Home Office says its position hasn't changed and drug testers have needed licences since 2001.

A row over the topic has been brewing since Parklife in Manchester earlier this month.

Boss Sacha Lord said the festival couldn't test confiscated drugs and warn people of any safety issues this year, despite having done so since 2014.

He accused the Home Office - which is in charge of drugs policy - of doing a "u-turn" when it told him that the event would need a licence for the first time.

Sacha is among the festival industry figures who've signed the open letter alongside 31 politicians and musicians Fatboy Slim, Billy Bragg and members of the band Metronomy.

The group, which includes several Tory MPs, say that "blocking" testing is a "disastrous decision".

They say the licences are expensive to obtain and take more than three months to arrange.

And they say the terms state that drugs must be tested in a permanent building - making it difficult for festivals set up on temporary sites to comply.

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption,

Secret Garden Party, an early UK adopter of on-site drug testing, says it won't have it when it takes place on 20-23 July this year

Drug testing is widely supported by UK festival organisers.

They say they don't endorse or encourage drug-taking, but they accept that some festival-goers will do it so testing is a way to reduce harm.

The letter calls on the government to restore "back-of-house" drugs testing - where confiscated substances are checked for strength, contaminants and to make sure they're not being mis-sold.

If problems are found a warning is circulated to festival-goers.

In most cases, testing in previous years was done by charity The Loop, under agreements with local councils and police.

Glastonbury, which took place over the weekend, told Newsbeat drug testing was going ahead this year through a private company.

And the organiser of Leeds and Reading Festivals also said it plans to provide it this year.

However, BBC Newsbeat's been told this will happen off-site, in accordance with licence requirements.

• What's going on with drug testing at UK festivals?
• Glastonbury, Leeds and Reading will have drug safety tests

The Home Office has repeatedly rejected accusations of a u-turn, and maintains that its policy on testing is clear.

It says: "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."

[turricandanz]

Legalise

[Crazyfool01]

Sadly don’t think it’s ever going to happen under either of the 2 main political parties … it’s been something that could have happened for many years now 

[Neil]

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jun/28/drug-testing-festivals-saves-lives-home-office

[bexj]

Just another short sighted idiotic  policy from this utter shitshow.  Can't wait to vote them out. 

[Sawdusty surfer]

A surprising number of crew have drug testing kits which they are happy to use to do tests for friends and very often for the kids of friends.

 

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Festival drug testing: Legal action threatened over safety tests

• Published
  2 hours ago

 

 

A festival boss has formally threatened legal action against the government over drug checking at festivals.

Parklife founder Sacha Lord has written to Home Secretary Suella Braverman urging her to allow on-site testing in "pop-up labs" to go ahead.

He says festivals had been doing this for at least 10 years until last month, when the government told him a licence would be needed for the first time.

The government says a licence has always been required to test drugs.

Drug-checking is where illegal substances are tested and notifications put out if any are found to be dangerous.

Supporters say these warnings save lives and also give medical teams a better idea of how to treat anyone who becomes seriously ill after taking drugs.

UK festivals have most recently employed "back-of-house testing", which uses samples of confiscated or surrendered drugs.

Larger festivals like Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds have told BBC Newsbeat they've used private companies to do this.

Independent festivals have tended to use charity The Loop, whose volunteers have been able to test at events without a licence due to agreements with local police and councils.

Mr Lord's letter says the Home Office was "well aware" of these arrangements and former ministers have publicly said the department wouldn't intervene to stop them.

He argues that the department made a "flawed decision" when it insisted on licences being obtained this year.

The letter says festival organisers had a legitimate expectation they would be able to test as normal this year and weren't properly consulted beforehand.

It says notification of the licence requirement - two days before Parklife in Manchester began - came too late for it to be possible to obtain one in time.

The letter, co-signed by trade body the Night Time Industries Association, demands the government allow testing without a licence to go ahead as before, or take steps so organisations have enough time to comply with the licence requirement.

They've given the government a deadline of 7 July to provide a meaningful response, and say they'll begin legal action if this isn't met.

Those behind the letter say they'll apply for a judicial review and ask a judge to examine the Home Office's decision.

The Home Office has been approached for comment on the legal letter.

The department previously told Newsbeat: "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 continue to keep an open dialogue with any potential applicants. Festivals aiming to test drugs off their site this summer must work with the police and a Home Office licensed drug testing provider."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-66083285