Illicit drug testing law to stay

The Government has confirmed it will make a law allowing festivalgoers to get their illicit drugs tested permanent.

It passed a temporary bill allowing such testing for a year late in 2020 under urgency. NZ First stopped Labour and the Greens from passing such a law in the previous term.

Pill testing allows outfits such as Know Your Stuff NZ to test illicit drugs at festivals and tell users what is in them.

Before the new law, it existed in a legal grey area, with festival hosts technically liable for prosecution if they knowingly provided a venue for illicit drug use. No-one had ever been prosecuted for this but it kept pill testing from becoming widespread because of the legal risk.

Test results over the summer found a large amount of cathinones (or ‘‘bath salts’’) that had been sold as MDMA.

Health Minister Andrew Little said a bill was being prepared to make the law-change permanent, citing evidence from a Victoria University study which found 68 per cent of surveyed users of the service changed their behaviour.

‘‘The Drug Checking Act will expire in December and experts are telling us it should be made permanent,’’ Little said.

The survey he cited found a strong majority of those who got their drugs tested changed their behaviour in a variety of ways. Of the 68 per cent that changed their behaviour, 39 per cent decided to only take the drug tested and not pair with other illicit drugs, 31 per cent took less of the drug than planned, 29 per cent threw out the drugs, and 25 per cent did not pair the drug with alcohol.

‘‘Testing the drugs has also made it easier for medical staff to treat people who have overdosed, because they know what they are dealing with,’’ Little said.

National MPs voted against the temporary law change. Justice spokesman Simon Bridges said his caucus was likely to stay opposed.