Music festival death sparks fresh pill testing calls
The Victorian government is being urged to reassess it stance on pill testing following the death of a man from a suspected drug overdose at a weekend music festival.
The 23-year-old was airlifted in a critical condition to the Alfred Hospital Hospital in Melbourne from Mafeking near Ararat, in the state’s southwest, in the early hours of Sunday but later died.
Two other men aged in their 30s and 40s were reportedly also taken in a stable condition to East Grampians Health Service suffering suspected overdoses.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.The Pitch Music and Arts Festival was subsequently cancelled due to dangerous heatwave conditions and extreme fire danger.
The Victorian Greens say the man’s death should be a trigger for Premier Jacinta Allan to “shift gears and finally sets up pill testing”.
“While this Labor government continues to stall, young Victorian lives are being put at risk,” party spokeperson Aiv Puglielli said in a statement on Monday.
“Even with pure MDMA we’ve seen how extreme heat can deal a deadly blow. So with untested drugs circulating, this was truly a disaster waiting to happen.”
Mr Puglilli said the government could not afford to delay pill testing any longer.
“It’s taking an already dangerous situation and turning it lethal.”
The Greens say if further overdose deaths are to be prevented, pill testing needs to be established onsite at music festivals as a matter of urgency.
