The recent deaths of 2 young men who attended Knockout Outdoor Festival in New South Wales have reignited calls for pill testing in Australia. These deaths, suspected to be linked to MDMA use, follow at least ten other drug-related deaths at festivals in NSW since 2021.

Jen Ross-King, the mother of Alex, another young woman who lost her life at a festival in NSW in 2019, has begged the government to introduce pill testing - a service that could possibly have saved her daughter's life and the lives of many others. Her voice adds to the chorus of mothers like Adriana Buccianti, who lost her son, Daniel, at the Rainbow Serpent Festival 10 years ago also calling for pill testing at festivals.

Australia continues to reject calls for pill testing. How many more need to be lost?

As many states weigh legalising cannabis, here's what they can learn from the struggles of growers in Canberra?

Alison Ritter, UNSW Sydney

A landmark report by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) exposes the unintended consequences of drug prohibition.

The report pushes for a major rethink of global drug policy by Member States, advocating for a public health and human rights approach rather than criminalisation. 

After years of endorsing drug prohibition, could this groundbreaking UN report be a harbinger of change in global drug policy?

The fentanyl crisis in North America has killed hundreds of thousands of people and has sparked a push for a safer, regulated supply of currently illicit drugs.

But what is “safer supply”? How does it work? And why do we need it?

Drug prohibition has been fatal for some, and the impacts of criminal conviction have been life altering for others. 

The moral compass is changing. Church groups, historically conservative, are now supporting drug decriminalisation and harm reduction. Will the Australian government follow suit?

In their own words, the latest National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program Report from the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) contains some “disturbing data” on Australia’s drug use.

So, what have Australians been up to?

Queensland has long been one of the most conservative states in Australia, with a history of equally as conservative drug laws. 

Soon, it will be home to some of the most relaxed drug laws in the country.

Mobile injection facilities are a cost-effective alternative to stand-alone injecting rooms. Mobile services will provide access to a safe injecting environment for Regional Victorians, preventing overdose deaths and ensuring more equitable access to harm-reduction services across the state.

Australia has a drug problem

In 2020 alone, as a nation we spent over $10 billion on illicit drugs, and 1,788 Australians lost their lives to drug-related overdose.

As RACGP president Dr. Nicole Higgins puts it: “If this isn’t a wake-up call, I don’t know what is”.